ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

Middle States Association makes a commitment to BI

At a recent meeting for chairs of evaluation teams and for librarians serving as site visitors, Howard Simmons, executive director of the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, made a strongly-stated commitment to assuring diversity and highlighting the role of libraries through the accreditation process.

The meeting, held on September 14, 1989, in Philadelphia, opened with a general session involving the two groups who were convening that day: chairs of evaluation teams and library directors, plus the Commission on Higher Education of Middle States. Simmons set the tone for the meeting by indicating his serious intent to pursue certain new directions, including diversity and library user education. He defined diversity as extending to staffing, faculty, curriculum, and students and gave examples of what he considered evidence of diversity. He cited the MSA Commission on Higher Education and staff itself as one such example, then introduced senior staff members for presentations on their programs.

Emphasis is being placed on such matters as the “teaching/learning environment”—consideration of the total institutional impact on student learning, including off-campus facilities, libraries, faculty attitudes, and other signs that this is a dynamic, interactive process. Outcomes assessment was addressed; although underlining the principle that each institution is unique and must derive its own measures, both qualitative and quantitative, he pledged MSA’s commitment to such assessment and expressed a concern that, if the institutions do not dedicate themselves to the task, someone else will impose less acceptable criteria. Need for planning was also highlighted.

Diversity and equity were defined in an expanded fashion. One feature is a curriculum that encompasses the nontraditional and non-Westem cultures and works by women. Another is the creation of a comfortable environment, where all community members have the opportunity to express themselves and to find a group of people with whom they can identify or among whom they can find role models, is of high value. Tools such as exhibits and special events were mentioned that raise consciousness and develop respect for women and minorities.

This was a very exciting environment; a nononsense commitment to diversity and equity was clearly broadcast. Equally exciting for librarians was Simmons’ stand on bibliographic instruction. He announced that the revised Characteristics of Excellence, which constitute the criteria for accreditation, includes the statement that a program of bibliographic instruction is mandatory and that he is dedicated to enforcing this requirement. Simmons’ familiarity with libraries reflects his student library assistant days; his description of how he unlocked the mystery of how to use the library and shared his knowledge with others was significant. His awareness of the problem that faculty members do not themselves use or understand libraries was manifest; he urged the librarians to infiltrate the faculty; and to use their participation on accrediting teams to go outside the library to talk to faculty and students about their library and its services, to examine syllabi, course outlines, samples of student work, and curriculum planning processes for evidence of library involvement in the teaching/learning process.

The groups then divided; there were two sessions for the libraiy directors. In one session, Stanton Biddle, Baruch College, described the ACRL University Library Standards for the participants. These standards, plus those for college libraries and two-year institutions and information about the Output Measures Manual, were included in the packets distributed. He stressed the change in emphasis from quantitative to qualitative standards and the need to focus on the meaning of numbers, rather than see them as an absolute. All data must be reconciled with the mission, goals and objectives. He emphasized that the purpose of the site visit is to verify the accuracy of the selfstudy and to gain a better understanding of the environment.

In the other session, Marilyn Lutzker, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, offered an approach for evaluators as they consider bibliographic instruction programs in their site visits. She suggested they look at the school and weigh the effect of the program on the overall institution. She suggested four methods to use in the evaluation: the self-study, the library’s statement of objectives, the examination of syllabi and course outlines, and discussions with faculty, administrators, and students. Lutzker will prepare an article for CLrRL News on this topic in the near future.

Simmons has also accepted an invitation for the Commission to be a member of the ALA-spearheaded National Forum on Information Literacy.