University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Modified Version of 1990 Self Study Manual

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Every ten years, universities that are members of the Commission on Colleges (COC) of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) must conduct a comprehensive study of their activities and make recommendations for improvements. This process is designed to be broadly participatory and involves faculty, students, administrative officers, staff, and trustees in examining all aspects of the institution, reporting their findings, and making recommendations. When the study is completed, a visiting committee, appointed by SACS, is sent to the university to report on the educational strength of the institution and the thoroughness of its self-study process. The report of the visiting committee serves to guide the university toward improving its programs and to help the COC reach a decision about reaffirmation of the institution's accreditation.

The COC does not grant accreditation to individual components of an institution, but rather accredits the university as a whole. Therefore, an institutional self-study report is not simply a collection of unit or department reports, although these summaries serve as important resource material for the university report. An institutional report must be a reflection of the university's entire educational program, supporting structure, and procedures used to assess the outcomes of this program.

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington completed its last Self-Study in 1982. The 1982 Self-Study Report reflects a University and reaffirmation requirements that are considerably different than those that exist today. During the past eight years, the University experienced tremendous growth in all of its traditional programs, while at the same time adding new ones at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. When comparing the University mission statement of 1982 with that of 1990, one is struck by the increased scope of the University's commitments.

Along with changes in the University have come changes in SACS criteria for reaffirmation of accreditation. We live in a society that increasingly demands accountability for the programs and institutions it supports. Unlike the report of 1982, in which it was acceptable to simply document the University's activities, it is now required that we demonstrate how we are assessing our programs and how the results of this assessment are used to improve these programs. The responsibility for examining how well we evaluate our efforts is not the sole property of any one committee. Rather, every department, every school, and every committee will have to address this issue. To assist departments with assessment planning, the Office of Institutional Research will conduct workshops on outcomes assessment.

This manual describes the rationale, organization, and procedures for the UNCW Self-Study. It should be viewed as a guide to the preparation of reports at all levels. It is expected that additional information and clarification will be required as committees get further into their work. Individual memoranda and the UNCW Self-Study Newsletter will be used to disseminate this information.

The purpose of the Self-Study is three-fold. First, it is to examine and evaluate the extent to which UNCW, through its academic programs and administrative processes, approaches the fulfillment of its mission (Appendix A). Second, the process of self-study itself leads to improvement in educational and administrative programs. Finally, the Self-Study provides the means for determining the extent to which the University meets or exceeds the criteria for accreditation established by SACS.

The goals of this Self-Study, which will guide the work of all the committees, are the

1. reexamination of the University's statements of mission and goals, both implicit and explicit, and revision of these statements if necessary;
2. strengthening of the University's planning and evaluation process, and thereby the University as a whole, by developing a more thorough assessment plan for educational programs, faculty, educational support services, administrators and administrative processes, and financial and physical resources;
3. identification of the University's strengths and weaknesses, resulting in recommendations for the Self-Study Report and an action plan for the University;
4. determination of the extent to which the University meets or exceeds the criteria for accreditation established by SACS;
5. production of an institutional Self-Study Report that will be useful to both the visiting committee appointed by SACS and the various components of the University who will use it for planning; and
6. development of an increased sense of common purpose among faculty, administrators, students, and staff by providing all of these constituencies an opportunity to participate in the self-study process.

ORGANIZATION OF SELF-STUDY - 1990 Version

The model for the organization of the UNCW Self-Study is based on the set of criteria established by SACS for purposes of accreditation. A diagram of this model is shown in Figure 1. The model, developed by the Chair of the Self-Study Steering Committee and the Director of the Self-Study, was approved by the Steering Committee at its first meeting. There is a Section Committee for each major criteria and a Subcommittee for each subcriteria.

The Steering Committee, which is charged with overall supervision of the Self-Study and preparation of the final report, has the following specific responsibilities. It is to

1.     plan and design the Self-Study,
2.     assist in developing an organization for the Self-Study,
3.     generate a Self-Study proposal,
4.     develop a schedule for the Self-Study,
5.     monitor the progress of the Self-Study,
6.     develop editorial guidelines,
7.     coordinate the activities of Self-Study committees,
8.     arrange for resources used in the Self-Study,
9.     serve as a clearinghouse for the administration of Self-Study surveys,
10.     catalog important institutional data for the Self-Study,
11.     reconcile conflicting viewpoints and jurisdictional disputes,
12.     communicate the progress of the Self-Study to the University,
13.     review draft reports from Section Committees,
14.     prepare the report for Criteria I,
15.     provide for University-wide review of the Self-Study draft,
16.     coordinate the production and distribution of the Self-Study Report,
17.     assist with preparations for the SACS committee visit, and
18.     help with the development of the plan for implementing Self-Study recommendations.

Chair: Dr. Kenneth Spackman, Mathematics and Statistics

Editor: Ms. Lavonne Adams, Creative Writing

Dr. Perri Bomar, Associate Dean, School of Nursing, Chair of Section II - Institutional Purpose

Dr. Lee Jackson, Psychology, Chair of Section III - Institutional Effectiveness

Dr. Susan McCaffray, History, Chair of Section IV - Educational Program

Dr. James Reeves, Chemistry, Chair of Section V - Educational Support Services

Dr. Diane Levy, Sociology and Anthropology, Chair of Section VI - Administrative Processes

Dr. Lynne Snowden, President, Faculty Senate

Dr. Melton McLaurin,Associate VC for Academic Affairs and SACS Liaison

Mr. Patrick Gunn, President, Student Government Association

Mr. Robert Fry, Director, Institutional Research

The Section Committees are each chaired by a faculty member from the Steering Committee. Each Subcommittee of a Section Committee is chaired by a member of the Section Committee. In this way, there is an uninterrupted line of communication from each Subcommittee up through the Steering Committee. An editor is assigned to each Section Committee to assist with the preparation of the Section report.

Each committee will be responsible for developing the portion of the Self-Study Report indicated by the committee number. The format for these reports is given in the Format and Style Guide found in Appendix C. In order to provide adequate documentation of the Self-Study process, each committee is asked to follow the guidelines listed below.

1. Keep minutes of each meeting. Indicate the date, time, and place of each meeting along with a list of those in attendance.
2. Send copies of minutes to the Self-Study Office in Dobo Hall 250.
3. Have all surveys and other requests for Self-Study data approved by the Steering Committee.
4. Maintain a record of all data gathering instruments and the data collected.

Section I: Principles and Philosophy of Accreditation

Chair: Dr. Kenneth Spackman, Mathematics and Statistics

Editor:

Membership: University Self-Study Steering Committee

Section II: Institutional Purpose

Chair: Perri Bomar, School of Nursing

Editor:

Section III: Institutional Effectiveness

Chair: Lee Jackson, Psychology

Editor:

Subcommittee 3.1: Planning and Evaluation: Educational Programs

Chair:

Subcommittee 3.2: Planning and Evaluation: Administrative and Educational Support Services

Chair:

Subcommittee 3.3: Institutional Research

Chair: Nikki Howard, Internal Audit

Section IV: Educational Program

Chair: Susan McCaffray, History

Editor:

Subcommittee 4.1: General Requirements of the Educational Program

Chair:

Subcommittee 4.2: Undergraduate Program

Chair:

Subcommittee 4.3: Graduate Program

Chair:

Subcommittee 4.4: Publications

Chair:

Subcommittee 4.5: Distance Learning Programs

Chair:

Subcommittee 4.6: Continuing Education, Outreach and Service Programs

Chair:

Subcommittee 4.7: Student Records

Chair:

Subcommittee 4.8: Faculty

Chair:

Subcommittee 4.9: Consortial and Contractual Relationships

Chair:

Section V: Educational Support Services

Chair: James Reeves, Chemistry

Editor:

Subcommittee 5.1: Library and Other Learning Resources

Chair:

Student

Subcommittee 5.2: Instructional Support

Chair:

Student

Subcommittee 5.3: Information Technology Resources

Chair:

Subcommittee 5.4: Student Development Services

Chair:

Student

Subcommittee 5.5: Intercollegiate Athletics

Chair:

Section VI: Administrative Processes

Chair: Diane Levy, Sociology and Anthropology

Editor:

Subcommittee 6.1: Organization and Administration

Chair:

Subcommittee 6.2: Institutional Advancement

Chair:

Subcommittee 6.3: Financial Resources

Chair:

Subcommittee 6.4: Physical Resources

Chair:

Subcommittee 6.5: Externally Funded Grants and Contracts

Chair:

Subcommittee 6.6: Related Corporate Entities

Chair:

Schedule of Activities - Modified 1990 Version

The following calendar of events depicts the schedule against which all of the committees are working. This schedule provides adequate time for committees to complete their work while providing some margin for reports that fall slightly behind schedule.

PROCEDURES FOR SELF-STUDY - 1990 Version

In determining the nature of the processes and procedures for the UNCW Self-Study, it is probably good to keep in mind the essential characteristics that the SACS visiting committee will use to judge the acceptability of our work. The following guidelines were excerpted from the SACS Manual for Accreditation.

1. The self-study should assess every aspect of the operation of an institution.
2. The self-study should not be an activity of the faculty or the administration alone but should have a broad involvement of every segment of the college community.
3. The self-study should be analytical -- identifying institutional strengths and weaknesses.
4. The self-study should emphasize institutional effectiveness which includes planning and evaluation.
5. The self-study should present recommendations designed to remedy the identified weaknesses.
6. The institution should indicate its plan for following up recommendations made in the self-study.

All Self-Study reports, from departments to Section Committees, should be prepared with these six statements as governing principles.

UNCW already has in place a substantial planning and reporting process for all units of the University. Units are required to prepare annual reports as well as five and ten year plans. The Office of Institutional Research conducts a host of surveys and compiles vast amounts of data on the University. In addition, many units of the University undergo periodic accreditation reviews by agencies other than SACS. Therefore, rather than reinventing the wheel, departments, schools, colleges, and other units should rely on these existing documents for the basic material from which to build succinct Self-Study reports.

In all probability, this will be the last Self-Study the University will conduct that follows the current format of ten-year cycles. It is the current thinking of SACS that self-study should be an ongoing process with data collected on a regular basis. To this end, departments, schools, colleges, and other units are encouraged to establish long-range planning and assessment committees before starting their individual Self-Studies. These committees should be responsible for planning the unit Self-Study and for establishing procedures for conducting periodic assessment of all programs and practices of the unit. Establishing these committees now will help ensure that UNCW is able to meet or exceed all future requirements and criteria set forth by SACS. In summary, individual unit reports should be

1. introspective analyses that can serve as a planning aid for the next decade.
2. analytical rather than descriptive. They should clearly address both strengths and weaknesses.
3. short on factual information and long on analysis.
4. prescriptive, in that they suggest strategies for dealing with weaknesses.
5. based on information already available in annual reports, planning reports, and discipline specific self-studies.
6. written using the formatting and style suggested in the Format and Style Guide in Appendix C.

Each organizational unit that must submit a Self-Study report should prepare the report such that it will be useful to the unit in its day-to-day operation. It should be honest, straightforward, clear, and should candidly identify both the strengths and weaknesses of the unit. It should include plans to solve problems identified or otherwise recommend action to address weaknesses. (Units that have recently completed a self-study for an accrediting body other than SACS may submit an update of that report. However, the report must address the SACS criteria described in section C.) The following items should be discussed, where appropriate.

1. Description and Purpose of Unit

1. Organizational structure of the unit.
2. The unit must have a statement of purpose linked to the new mission statement of the University.
3. The unit must have a statement of goals compatible with its purpose.
4. The unit must have a plan for how its goals are to be achieved.

2. Assessment of Unit

1. The unit must state expected results (that is, specific, identifiable outcomes) of its programs and plans, and it must state how the achievement of those results are to be ascertained. (This means that academic departments must define expected educational results as well as expected outcomes in the areas of research and service.)
2. The unit must provide evidence that it regularly evaluates the extent to which its expected results have been achieved, and that such evaluation is used in a flexible, ongoing planning process to cause continual improvement of the effectiveness of the unit.
3. The unit must describe how its allocations of budget and personnel are coordinated with its purpose and planning process.
4. The unit must identify the person, office, committee, etc., responsible for ensuring that each component of its planning and evaluation process proceeds as described.

3. SACS Criteria

1. The SACS criteria that each unit must address are listed in the next section under Reporting Units. Each unit Self-Study must determine whether the must statements for these criteria are satisfied by tha unit. Write a brief response to each must statement, unless it has been covered adequately in section A or B above.
2. Determine whether each of the relevant should statements is satisfied. Write a brief response to each should statement.

4. Recommendations and Suggestions

1. Prepare a summary of recommendations and/or suggestions for the unit.
2. Describe actions that may already have been taken in response to the recommendations and/or suggestions. Include a timetable for addressing recommendations and/or suggestions.

The following organizational units will prepare Self-Study reports. This list describes the SACS criteria that must be addressed in each of the reports.

The Provost has designated room 250 in Dobo Hall as the Self-Study Office. A meeting area and space for collecting Self-Study resources have been provided. Secretarial and computer support - Course reductions for Director and Section Chairs - Twelve month contracts for - .

The following resources are available to committees, departments, and other units developing Self-Study reports. These materials will also be available to the SACS visiting committee. Items marked with an asterisk will be provided to each visiting team member. All materials are in the Self-Study Office, _______.

List of Materials normally found in Self-Study office.

• *University catalogs (undergraduate and graduate) *Faculty Handbook (contains, among other things, Faculty Governance Document,
• University organizational chart, and by-laws for the Faculty Senate)
• *Student Handbook / Code for Student Life
• *UNCW Fact Book
• UNCW Administrative Procedures Manual
• 1990-92 Self-Study Report and Five Year Follow-up (also on reserve in the library)
• Planning reports submitted by organizational units
• Annual reports from organizational units
• SACS manuals (also on reserve in the library)
• Annual surveys conducted by Institutional Research
• Accreditation reports for Nursing, Education, HPER, Chemistry, and Cameron School of Business Administration
• University budget
• University budget request
• Financial audit report
• Consolidated financial statement
• Budgets for endowments and foundations
• Facilities master plan
• Course schedules
• Faculty salary reports
• Intercollegiate athletics policies
• Federal compliance documents
• Self-Study survey results
• Sample self-study reports from other universities
• ORA Policy Manual
• Student Government By-Laws
• Organizational unit self-study reports
• Telephone directory
• *Faculty Senate and Chancellor's Committees membership lists
• Minutes of Faculty Senate meetings (also on reserve in the library)
• Substance Abuse Policy Manual

APPENDIX A - Currently Approved Mission

Concise Statement of Institutional Mission

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington is an evolving comprehensive university dedicated to excellence in teaching, in scholarly and artistic achievement, and in service to regional and global communities. As the only university in the region, it has a special responsibility to education and service. In fulfilling this responsibility, the University recognizes and accepts the primary importance of its undergraduate teaching mission, while at the same time offering strong graduate programs that complement its undergraduate programs. The University seeks to stimulate intellectual curiosity, imagination, rational thinking, thoughtful expression, and love of learning in a broad range of discipline and professional fields. Knowledge of the humanities, the social and natural sciences, and the fine arts is central to this curriculum. The University considers research and creative activities essential for effective learning and strives to create an academic environment in which faculty and students can reach their full potential for scholarship. The University's location in an historic Atlantic seaport provides special opportunities for teaching and research in a variety of fields, among them marine and environmental sciences, the humanities, and business. In its public service role, the University serves as a resource and catalyst for regional growth and development.

Approved by the UNCW Board of Trustees on October 8, 1997

APPENDIX B

FACULTY COMMITTEE PREFERENCE LETTER - Modified 1990 Version - Not Actual Letter that went to Faculty

MEMORANDUM

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington is to conduct an institutional self-study during 2000-2002 as part of the requirements for reaffirmation of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The self-study process, conducted on a ten year cycle, must be a comprehensive examination of every sector of the University. It culminates in a report which addresses all of the criteria for accreditation established by SACS. A Reaffirmation Committee, appointed by SACS, will visit our campus during the Spring semester of 2002 to review the self-study report and to evaluate the institution. The following is a quote from the Handbook for Peer Evaluators published by SACS.

What constitutes an Adequate Self-Study?

An adequate self-study:

1. Is comprehensive. Does the self-study assess every aspect of the institution's operations?
2. Is broadly participatory. Did the self-study involve personnel from all segments of the institution?
3. Is analytical. Does the self-study provide a complete analysis and critical evaluaiton of the institution, identifying strengths and weaknesses?
4. Adequaely examines the planning and evaluation process of the institution.
5. Presents recommendations designed to improve the institution.
6. Describes adequate procedures for the review and follow-up of recommendations made in the self-study.

This process requires broad faculty involvement on committees ranging from those at the department level to those that are University-wide. The Committee Preference survey is located on the web at the following address: http://www.uncwil.edu/sacs/self_study/comm_pref_survey.htm   Information about the focus of each committee's activities is available from this survey instrument or by going to the following address: http://www.uncwil.edu/sacs/self_study/   Please respond to this survey as soon as possible so the Steering Committee can begin the committee assignment process. Failure to complete this survey is no safeguard against being appointed to a self-study committee.

On Thursday, January, January 6, 2000, Dr. Donna Wilkinson, Associate Executive Director, SACS' Commission on Colleges, will visit UNCW to assist us in initiating the self-study. She would like to meet with department chairs and academic and administrative directors in the Randall Library Auditorium at 2:30 P.M.

This formal self-study process and our on-going assessment activities are an integral part of the university's improvement efforts. We look forward to your participation and support on this particular activity during the next three years.

APPENDIX C

STYLE GUIDE FOR SELF-STUDY REPORTS - Modified 1990 Version

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Self-Study

for the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

Format and Style Guide:

Principal-Committee and Unit Reports

From the Self-Study Editor

Fall, 2001

    Editor's Preface

1.   Style
2.   Organization of the Report
3.   Usage
4.   Unit Reports: Layout and Format
5.   Principal Committee Reports: Layout, Format, and Word Processing Specifications

1. Sample Title Page
2. Sample Table of Contents Page
3. Sample List of Figures Page
4. Sample Text Page
5. Sample List
6. Sample Appendix Page
7. Standard "Format: Page" Settings
8. Standard "Format: Line" Settings

This document is a set of guidelines to style and format to be followed in preparing reports for the Southern Association (SACS) Self-Study. It is intended to guide the reports of both the Principal Committees and the other reporting units such as academic departments and administrative entities.

Reports of the Principal Committees will be combined into a single institutional report, the central document of the Self-Study, so those reports must conform precisely to a prescribed format. Reports of the other units will be available as resources to the Principal Committees and to the SACS team but will not be reprinted in the main document. Consequently, guidelines for the unit reports are more general and allow a greater freedom of choice in formatting and organizational decisions. They may, for example, be composed using any word processing program; Principal Committee reports must use Microsoft Word 97 or higher version only.

Those involved with preparing reports for the Principal Committees and their subcommittees should maintain a close consultation with their section editors throughout the process. They may also consult with me at any time. I can most easily be reached by telephone (extension ______) or e-mail (VAX address: ______).

I have attempted to anticipate editorial questions that reporting units will face, but other questions are bound to arise as the actual task of reporting begins. For that reason, these guidelines should be considered a work in progress, subject to continuing modification as our needs evolve. I have also had to make some arbitrary decisions about style and format, some of which we may want to revise. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your questions or suggestions for change.

___________

Self-Study Editor

Section I (Principles and Philosophy of Accreditation):

Section II (Institutional Purpose):

Section III (Institutional Effectiveness):

Section IV (Educational Program):

Section V (Educational Support Services):

Section VI (Administrative Processes):

---

1. Style and Content

This manual is a guide to the form, rather than the content, of SelfStudy reports (guidance to the latter may be found in the Southern Association's Oiteria for Accreditation). Nevertheless, form and content are inextricable, and four general guidelines bear on both. Though they may seem obvious to many, they are important enough to be stated here and emphasized. Each report, and every part of each report, should:

• Say something. It is all too easy to manipulate language into bureaucratic writing. Language in the UNCW Self-Study reports should be the antithesis of bureaucratese. The writing should be straightforward, specific, and concrete-not vague, general, or abstract. Reports should have substance; writers should not hesitate to state their actual meaning.
• Be honest. The report should be balanced, sincere, and candid. The purpose of the Self-Study is objective analysis. It is not a public relations exercise.
• Be clear. Writers who have something to say should shape their message to be clearly understood. They should strive for an unadorned, readable style. They should write to be read by an audience of real readers, much like themselves.
• Be interesting. There is no reason why a formal report cannot be well written, perhaps even lively. The interest which the writers find in their subject should be communicated to their readers.

However careful the investigation or however penetrating the analysis, those efforts will not be successful unless the report is substantive, truthful, clear, and well written-that is, worthy of being attentively read.

2. Unity

Reports are written by committees. Component sections of reports are often produced by different subcommittees or individuals, with each section reflecting the style and approach of its authors. It is the task of the reporting unit as a whole, and of its chair and its editor in particular, to synthesize and edit the report so that the finished document has unity, its component sections function together, and the entire report reads as if it were the work of a single hand.

3. Other Matters of Style

Self-Study reports will observe standard conventions of syntax and usage, including spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and abbreviation. Such reference tools as a college handbook and a dictionary can answer questions in these areas. General stylistic guidelines for Self-Study reports are as follows:

• Use standard written English, avoiding the extremes of stuffy formality and colloquial informality.
• Write in the third person. For example, write "the University's policy," rather than "our policy."
• Write objectively. Avoid personal opinion in descriptive writing. Passages of analysis, evaluation, and recommendations should be clearly recognizable as such.
• Avoid wordiness.
• Express numerical data visually, in the form of graphs and tables. Do not write lengthy prose descriptions of data that can be presented more clearly and accessibly in graphic form.

Committee reports for the Self-Study should be organized to include the following in the order shown:

1. Title page - Use the example of the title page format in Figure 1. The words Self-Study should be in bold face. The "from" line should give the name of the reporting unit in bold type (e.g., From Committee III: Institutional Effectiveness). Use September 1, 1992 as the date of the report.
2. Table of contents - The following directions are illustrated in Figure 2 on page 5. Skip three lines (enter three hard returns) from the top margin, and type TABLE OF CONTENTS in bold upper case, centered between the margins. Then skip two lines, move flush right and type Page. Skip one line and type LIST OF FIGURES (if your report contains any) flush with the left-hand margin, use a dot leader, and type the page number flush with right-hand margin. Do the same for LIST OF TABLES. Then type your reporting unit's name in upper case (e.g., COMMITTEE VI: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES).

Topics listed in the table should be the titles given exactly as in your report, but use upper and lower case and do not underline or use bold face. Indent each successive level one-half inch. Topic 1 should be Introduction. Topic 2 is the first major heading of the report. For the Principal Committees, all headings and subheadings specified in Criteria for Accreditation should appear as headings and subheadings in your report, with the number following in parentheses; e.g.:

Finally, type APPENDIXES, and list them in the same manner.

3. List of Figures - Figure 3 shows directions for typing a List of Figures, using the list for the present document as an example. Titles of figures are given in upper and lower case, exactly as they appear in captions beneath the figures.
4. List of Tables - Begin the list on a separate page. Use the same instructions as for the List of Figures. Titles of tables are given exactly as they appear in captions above the tables.
5. Summary - Write a narrative summary of 300-400 words which presents the main points of the report. Include the chief components of the report and the major conclusions and suggestions for improvement and change. This will be the most widely read portion of your report and, for that reason, perhaps the most important.
6. Introduction - Introduce the text of the report by describing current practices or policies and discussing investigative procedures-that is, any unusual methods used in gathering data (anticipating that standard data gathering procedures were used in most cases), making judgments, and offering recommendations. Names of committee members will not be necessary in the Introduction, since the first appendix of the report has been designated for such a list. Neither will a history of the University be needed as a part of the Introduction.
7. Parts 2, 3, 4, . . . - See the sample text page in Figure 4. Number the remaining sections of the report beginning with 2. (In the official report, the use of roman numerals is being reserved for the titles of committee reports.) For the Principal Committees, topic 2 is generally the first major heading specified in Criteria for Accreditation (e.g., for Committee VI, the first topic is "6.1 Organization and Administration"). All headings and subheadings with numerical prefixes in that manual should appear as headings and subheadings in the report of the corresponding committee.

Place the number following the heading or subheading in parentheses; e.g.:

2

Organization and Administration (4.1)

While all the headings and subheadings in Ctiteria for Accreditation should appear in the reports, you are not limited to them. You may add other headings, subheadings, and sub-subheadings as desired.

Only the main headings will be numbered. Avoid numbering or lettering (except for lists) beyond these major section numbers; instead, use the form for subheadings, sub-subheadings, and sub-sub-subheadings as shown in Figure 4. A list is shown in Figure 5.

8. Projections - Conclude the text of the report with Projections. This section will also include recommendations.
9. Appendixes - In the case of committee reports, Appendix A should be a list of committee members. Other appendixes follow, each beginning on a separate page. See the example in Figure 6.

6

Skip three additional lines from the top margin.

2

Skip one line.

ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION (6.1)

Skip two lines.

The first line of each new paragraph, including the first, is indented one-half inch from the left margin. The summary and each numbered heading (as listed in the Table of Contents; see Figure 2) begin a new page. Center that number (omit in the case of the summary), skip a line, and type the heading in all caps. Both the number and heading are in bold.

Do not skip a line between paragraphs within a section. Skip two lines before a new subsection or sub-subsection.

Skip two lines.

Descriptive Titles and Terms (6.1.1)

Skip one line.

Skip one line between a subsection title and its text. Subsection titles are centered in upper and lower case bold. The subsection number from Criteria for Accreditation is placed in parentheses following the title. In the case of Principal Committee reports, all section and subsection titles listed in Criteria for Accreditation must appear in the report, but the committee is not limited to those titles. Additional titles for sections, subsections, and sub-subsections should be added as needed.

Skip two lines.

Sub-Subsection Heading (6.1.1.1)

Skip one line.

Sub-subsection headings are placed flush left. They are printed in upper and lower case and are not in bold type. Skip two lines before and one line after each sub-subsection heading.

Remember not to skip lines between adjacent paragraphs.

Skip one line.

A Fourth-Level Heading Skip one line before a fourth-level (sub-subsubheading). Type it flush left, in upper and lower case letters, underlined but not bold. Do not end it with a period. Skip two spaces and begin text.

7

Skip one line.

1. Skip a line and begin the first item one-half inch from the left margin. The second and subsequent lines are similarly indented. Do not indent additional space from the right margin.
2. For brief items, do not skip additional lines between numbered items.
3. For longer items, especially those consisting of more than one paragraph, one line may be skipped between items. A second paragraph within an item is indented as in this example.

Skip one line.

Skip a line following the last item, and resume typing the text of the report.

103

Skip three additional lines from the top margin.

Center and type in bold:

APPENDIX A - 1990 Version

Skip one line.

LIST OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Skip three lines.

Appendixes may contain text, graphic material, tables, and so on. Subheadings may be provided as for the report proper. Each new appendix begins a new page. Graphic matter may be placed sideways if needed to fit the page. If so, place it so that the matter can be read if the page is rotated clockwise 90 degrees.

• A book: (Arthur M. Hauptman, The College Tuition Spiral, New York: Macmillan, 1991: 46)
• A book with an editor or translator: (Lisa Williams, editor, The Grants Register 1991-1993, 12th edition, New York: St. Martin's, 1991: 764-77)
• A book in an edition: See the previous example.
• A journal article: (Frederick Bartheleme, "Architecture," Kansas Quarterly, volume 13, 1981: 77-78).
• A newspaper or magazine article: (Chris Raymond, "Engineers Urged to Heed History of Their Field," Chronicle of Higher Education, October 10, 1990: A10)
• A work with two or three authors: (Mary Smith, Thomas Jones, and Jane Brown, . . .)
• A work with more than three authors: (Robert White et al, . . .)

6. Information footnotes - Information footnotes should be avoided. Information important enough to be included should appear within the report itself.
7. Non-sexist language - Recast generic statements to avoid gender-specific pronouns. Instead of "Each student must submit his application," write "Students must submit their applications" or "Each student must submit an application." If a generic personal pronoun is unavoidable, use "he or she"; do not use "he," "she/he," or "(s)he" for this purpose.
8. Chairs - Use "chair" instead of "chairman," "chairwoman," or "chairperson."
9. Degrees - Refer to degrees in general as "doctor's," "master's," and "bachelor's." Use abbreviations for degrees following names: John Zeko, MPA, CPA.
10. Abbreviations - In general, abbreviate only words that would be read aloud as acronyms or abbreviations. Abbreviate SACS and ROTC, but not NC or Sept. (if the latter are meant to be read as "North Carolina" and "September"). Exceptions are affixes to names: Jr., Sr., and titles such as Ms. and Dr. (but see item 3). Omit periods in abbreviations of names of institutions and degree titles: UNCW, CSMR, WLOZ, BA, PhD, MBA.
11. Capitalization - Capitalize titles of official units of the University and of University officials. Note the following:

Self-Study (as the proper name for the present study)

Director of the Self-Study (used as a title)

most directors of self-studies

the Self-Study Report (the central document of our Self-Study)

the Self-Study reports (the various department and other reports)

self-study reports on other campuses

Sherman Hayes, Director of Library Services

the Department of History

history departments throughout the country

Fall Semester 1998 (or Fall 1998)

Spring Semester 2000 (or Spring 2000)

in the fall of 2000; during the spring semester

a.m. and p.m. (rather than A.M. and P.M.)

Committee VI: Administrative Processes

12. Numbers - Write out numbers that begin sentences and numbers less than 10: two, nine, 10, 72, 200. Use numerals with symbols (3% or three percent, $6 or six dollars, 5 p.m., August 3). Rounded dollar sums are written thus: $13.4 million, $2 billion (not two billion dollars). Fractions are spelled out when standing alone (one-half) but expressed in figures when preceded by an integer (2 1/2, 99 44/100).
13. Dates - Express dates as September 1, 1992. Use 1991-92, not 1991-1992 or 1991-'92, to represent the academic year.
14. Commas in a series - A comma follows the item preceding the word and in a series of three or more items: the history, theory, and practice of editing (note the comma following theory).
15. Hyphens - Consult a dictionary for hyphenated words. The following are standard:

IV.  UNIT REPORTS: LAYOUT AND FORMAT - 1990 Version

All reports should have an appealing, professional-looking appearance. The unit reports (reports of departments and other administrative units) will be available as resources to the Principal Committees and SACS team but will not be reprinted in the central document. Consequently the unit reports are subject to more general guidelines than those of the Principal Committees (the latter guidelines are presented in Chapter V).

1. Word processing - Any word processing program may be used for the unit reports.
2. Printer - Laser printer must be used. Use high quality 20-pound paper.
3. Font - Any standard readable font may be used. Times Roman 12 point is preferred.
4. Binding - Reports should be bound at the left.
5. Margins - The margin on the binding side of the page (the left margin for a report printed on one side of the page) should be 11/2 inches (to allow space for the binding). The outside and bottom margins should be one inch. Text should begin one inch from the top edge of the page, with page numbers one-half to three-quarters of an inch from the top edge.
6. Page numbering - For reports printed on both sides of the page, page numbers are placed as in this document, at the upper outside corner of each page -that is, at the upper right of odd numbered pages and at the upper left of even numbered pages. Odd numbered pages are always to the right of even numbered pages. For reports printed on one side of the page, numbers are placed at the upper right of each page. Page numbers should be one-half to three-quarters of an inch from the top of the page. The text itself should begin one inch from the top. Prefatory pages are numbered with lower case Roman numerals, and all subsequent pages, including pages with figures, tables, or appendixes, are numbered with consecutive Arabic numerals. The title page is counted in the numbering scheme as page I but no page number appears on the title page; the first Roman number appears on the Table of Contents page.

7. Line spacing - Single space the report. Skip lines as desired between sections, but do not skip an extra line between paragraphs within a section.
8. Spacing between sentences - Skip two spaces (press the space bar twice) between sentences.
9. Justification and end-line hyphenation - Reports should be left-justified only, with no right justification. Non-hyphenated words should not be broken with a hyphen to conserve space at the end of lines.
10. Widows and orphans - Automatic widow/orphan protection may be used if available on your word processor. Make adjustments to prevent page breaks from occurring at points where text should not be separated.
11. Tabs and Index - Tabs should be set at half-inch intervals from the left margin. Indenting is explained and demonstrated in these examples:

• Paragraphs

• Long quotations

Long quotations are indented one inch from the left margin. They should not be indented additionally from the right margin. Quotation marks are not used for indented quotations. Do not skip an extra line before or after a long quotation.

• Hanging indents

  A hanging indent is used when listing a work in a bibliography. The second and subsequent lines are indented one-half inch from the left margin.

12. Dashes - Distinguish typographically between a dash (-) and a hyphen If a dash is not available, type two hyphens with no space before or after: "The divisions of Art, Drama, and Music--the components of the Department of Fine Arts--are housed in Kenan Hall."
13. Figures and tables - Wherever possible, numerical data should be expressed in visual form through graphs and tables. Do not present lengthy prose descriptions of data that can be presented more clearly and accessibly in graphic form. Illustrative materials such as graphs, charts, diagrams, and maps should be called figures and numbered consecutively throughout the report with Arabic numerals. Tables should be compiled accurately and displayed for easy reading and interpretation; they too are numbered consecutively, independent of the figures.

Figures and tables should follow closely upon the first reference to them. They are referred to in the text directly-e.g., "Figure 9 shows projected costs for child care." They can also be referred to parenthetically- e.g., ". . . child care expenditures (see Figure 9)."

Figure 3 on page 6 illustrates how figures are placed and labelled. Each figure should be labeled with a figure number and title, centered below the figure; for example:

Figure 11. Departmental Organizational Chart

Source references, if necessary, should be given in parentheses on the following line. Do not use footnotes.

Figure 12. Percentage Change in College Enrollment: 1978 to 1988

(The Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac, September 5, 1990: 8)

Labels for tables are centered above the table:

Table 2

Names Centered above the Table

in as Many Lines as Necessary

(documentation, if necessary, in parentheses)

Placing a border around a figure or table (i.e., placing it within a box, as done with the figures in this document) is optional.

14. Positioning matter sideways You may sometimes need to position a figure or table sideways on the page (in printing terms, in "landscape" orientation). Always turn such matter so that the bottom is to the light edge of the page. This applies whether it appears on an odd or an even numbered page. The reader should always turn the document 90 degrees clockwise to read such matter. The label for a sideways figure or table should also be printed sideways.

Each of the six Principal Committee reports must be submitted to the Editor, both in draft and final form, as a Microsoft Word 97 or higher document. It may be submitted either on floppy disk or via e-mail. Two hard copies of the report (one single-spaced and one double-spaced for ease of editing, and printed on a laser printer) should also be sent to the Editor. Contact the Editor (e-mail address: _______) for directions for submitting a file via e-mail. Section chairs and editors are welcome to consult with the Editor about any editorial or wordprocessing matter. Each of the six reports will be bound separately, with its own cover. Taken together, they will comprise our institutional report, the central document of the Self-Study. It is essential that each conform precisely to the specified format. Moreover, some global changes (such as font conversions) that will be made in the final stages will alter the appearance and page-placement of text, so editors must avoid idiosyncratic practices that could become garbled during conversions. The Self-study Editor will supply report templates to Principal Committee Editors.

Keep your format as clean and simple as possible. The general guidelines in Chapter IV apply to the Principal Committee reports as well, with the following adjustments and directions:

1. Font - The final printed report will use a Times Roman 12 point typeface for text and larger font sizes for title pages and major headings. Drafts of individual reports, however, are to use a single size font exclusively throughout; all adjustments in font sizes will be made later by the Editor. For drafts, use Times Roman 12 point.
2. Setting margins - In the final printed form, a one-inch margin will appear on all sides of the text, with an additional half-inch on the inside edge to allow for binding. Margins should be set once in the "Page Setup" menu; there should be no internal margin changes within the document itself. The following pages will have a greater top margin, but these will be achieved by entering hard returns before text, and not by adjusting the page margin settings: the title page, the table of contents, the list of figures, the list of tables, and the first page of each section and of each appendix.

• From the document, select the Page Setup item from the File Menu.
• Set the Left and right margins to 1.25".
• Set the top margin to 1.0".
• Set the bottom margin to 1.0".

3. Page numbering - Page numbers appear at the top right of odd numbered pages and at the top left of even numbered pages.

4. Spacing in the report - Single space the report (see Figure 8, line 6). Some hard returns (blank lines) are inserted between sections (see Figure 4 on page 8), but do not skip any lines between paragraphs of text.
5. Spacing in the hard copy of preliminary drafts - One of the two hard copies of the report (but not the other or the accompanying file on diskette) should be double spaced for ease of editing. This temporary adjustment
6. Justification and hyphenation - Reports should be left-justified only, with no right justification (see Figure 8, line 3). Non-hyphenated -words should not be broken with a hyphen to conserve space at the end of lines (see Figure 8, line 1). Ends of lines should be determined by automatic word wrap; do not type a hard return at the end of a line that is not the end of a paragraph.
7. Tabs and Indenting - Tabs should be set at half-inch intervals from the left margin. This is standard within all MS Word documents. This setting can be found in the Tabs item on the Format menu.
8. Widows and orphans - Automatic widow/orphan protection should be used (see Figure 8, line 9). Such page-layout adjustments must not be done manually by inserting or deleting hard returns. Remember that page breaks may fall elsewhere in the final version. For that reason, when an additional hard return between sections (i.e., a skipped line) falls at the top of a page, it should not be deleted.
9. Keeping text together - Notice how the heading of number 12 below has been separated by an unfortunate page break from the following text. In such a case, do not force the heading onto the next page by inserting either additional hard returns or a hard-page (Ctrl-Enter) code before the heading. Instead, insert a "conditional end-of-page code" as follows:
10. Indenting

• Paragraphs

• Long quotations

• Hanging indents

11. Cross references - When referring the reader to another page in the document, never type in the page number, since numbering will change as the reports are assembled into the master document.

12. Figures and tables - See the information on pages 15-16. When convenient, use a MS Excel spreadsheet to create the needed graphics and copy results to your Word document. Figures and tables generated elsewhere will be inserted or pasted in the final document. For these, generate a blank table or figure in MS Word of the same size as the item to be inserted. This will insure proper placement and page numbering.
13. Dashes - Always use two hyphens for a dash--as in this example. Do not skip spaces before or after the dashes.

Updates on word processing specifications will be issued as new questions and needs arise.

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fryb@uncwil.edu

Last Updated: February 3, 2000