2015 ACCET Annual Conference Program Materials
Below find the handouts and presentations from the breakout sessions at our 2015 Annual Conference in Hershey.
Morning Breakouts
“Top 5 Commonly Cited Weaknesses at Vocational Schools”
Presenters: ACCET Staff
ACCET Staff present the top five most common weaknesses cited at vocational institutions. Session includes review of the standard, strategies for improvement, and audience question and answer. Learn best practices and valuable tips as you prepare for visits.
“Top 5 Commonly Cited Weaknesses at Schools with Intensive English Programs”
Presenters: ACCET Staff
This session is a must for ACCET attendees as the ACCET Professional Staff and Commissioners discuss the Top Five Findings noted on team reports over the past two years for avocational institutions offering intensive English programs. Learn how to remedy these common weaknesses and join the Best Practices discussion.
“Professional Development (In-Service)”
Presenters: David Vice, President, Asher College
Brenda Robati, President, The Language Company
Buddy Bresnick, Partner, Dale Carnegie Training, Mid Atlantic
Are your Professional Development practices effective? Please join our esteemed panel as they discuss their perspective on Professional Development for faculty and staff and its impact on their institutions. This session will focus on the philosophy, strategies, and best practices that drive effective Professional Development and help lead to successful student outcomes.
“Marketing: Cutting the Cord to Reach Digital Natives”
Presenters: Eric Beier, President, First Institute
Amanda Ambriz, VP Education Development, Text Aim
Greg Gragg, CEO, Gragg Advertising
Did You Know: 70% of mobile searches lead to online action within an hour. There are still a surprisingly large number of organizations with no mobile strategy in place. Many others claim to be “doing mobile” but with little success. It is a challenging medium for many marketing teams. In this session we will discuss the impact, trends and opportunities of mobile strategies and how your organization can make the most of it in 2015 and beyond.
*Presentation materials not available
“IEP – Don’t SAP Your Student’s Spirits: Giving Effective Feedback for Student Success”
Presenters: Nadine Baladi, Director, ILSC—San Francisco
Tyrone Marsh, Academic Director, ELS Educational Services
In this session for ESL programs, we’ll cover best practices for providing students constructive feedback to support their success through counseling, progress reports, and learning plans. Student success in a program can be greatly influenced by suggestions and feedback from instructors and academic directors. Incorporating constructive feedback into processes for Student Academic Progress can increase the effectiveness of the SAP policy by providing guidance for students before or during warning/probation periods.
“Clery Act and Campus Management”
Presenters: Ken Ingram, Partner, Whiteford, Taylor, Preston
Mike Gartner, Partner, Whiteford, Taylor, Preston
Peggy Tiderman, Executive Director, DCI Career Institute
Are you familiar and in compliance with the Clery Act? The Clery Act requires all colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to keep and disclose information about crime on and near their respective campuses. This session will offer a discussion of requirements and expectations for ACCET membership relative to the Clery Act and Campus safety requirements. Hear from ACCET legal counsel as well as ACCET members to understand best practices and how to avoid violations.
“Strategies for On-Site Visit Preparation”
Presenters: Megan Kobzej, Assistant Dean, New America College
Dainah Craft, CEO, Indiana School of Sports and Medical Massage
Guy Benjamin, Executive Director, Hawaii Medical College
Going through reaccreditation soon? Quickly approaching the midterm of your current grant? Get advice from our panel regarding preparation strategies for ACCET visits. Learn from successful initial applicants, reaccreditation applicants, and survivors of the Quality Assurance Visit (QAV).
*Presentation materials not available
“The Admissions Evolution—Succeeding in the New Paradigm!”
Presenters: Scott Aaron, President & COO, New Horizons Computer Learning Center
Dr. Jean Norris, Managing Partner, Norton Norris, Inc.
Vince Norton, Managing Partner, Norton Norris, Inc.
It’s no secret that the traditional admissions funnel has run its course – what’s replacing it? Come learn what companies like Google, Twitter, Intuit and Visa have already figured out about the consumer journey that you can employ. An updated higher education model will be showcased to demonstrate how to turn “Strangers into Students” and even into promoters of your school! Additionally, participants will be able to share in the experience of a school leader who brought his team through the changes required to successfully adapt marketing and recruitment processes.
Afternoon Workshops
“SEVP Update”
Presenters: SEVP Staff
SEVP experts provide information on common issues and upcoming guidance for institutions who enroll international students, whether already accredited or in the process of accreditation. The session will also include answers to your questions as curated by ACCET staff and Commissioners. This annual session is always popular and beneficial to IEP’s as well as schools enrolling international students.
“Competency Based Methodology”
Presenters: Donnell Bayot, Director of Academic Affairs, International School of Hospitality,
Brad Boute, Director of Compliance, Southwest Institute of Healing Arts
Competency-based education (CBE) is not new, but there has been increased interest in it as employers seek graduates with the skills necessary to contribute to the present-day workforce. CBE is learner-focused and stresses outcomes, allowing institutions greater capacity to measure student learning. Join us in this informative session to learn what CBE is and how it emphasizes learning outcomes and performance of skills over simply describing knowledge.
“Federal Updates for Vocational Institutions”
Presenters: Steve Gunderson, President, APSCU
Sally Sammuels, Director of Compliance, FAME
The landscape for vocational schools and colleges has been rather turbulent in recent times. The question is what next? Will there be more regulation by the Department? Will there be any action by the Congress before the 2016 Election? Hear from experts about Title IV issues, developments in accreditation reform, and the reauthorization of HEA. This session will address key points relative to Gainful Employment, student outcomes, ATB, SAP and return to Title IV on both funding and policy changes. The presenters will offer guidance and recommendations to colleges in both complying with current regulations and preparing for possible changes in policy.
“ESL Program Refund Policies”
Presenter: ACCET Staff and Commissioners
Does this apply to me? Learn from the ACCET Staff and Commissioners how to apply refund policies for ESL programs in order to maintain compliance with the ACCET standards. This session will provide step-by-step explanations of the requirements for ESL programs relative to refund calculations, timeframes, and fees. As part of the session, participants will have the opportunity to share their own policy with peer groups, so bring your school’s policy!
“Assessment: A Strategic Key to Improve Compliance, Decision Making and Outcomes”
Presenter: Dana Van Laeys, VP Education Development, NCCT
Amanda Opperman, Institutional & Program Effectiveness Specialist, Wonderlic
Assessment is crucial to every stage of the student life cycle, from admissions to certification and job placement. The presenters demonstrate how institutional leaders, educators, administrative staff, and students can better utilize assessment processes on their campuses. Content will address (1) cognitive and non-cognitive measures for admissions (including Ability-to-Benefit testing), (2) micro-credentials and digital badges for job placement, and (3) roles and value of certification. Certification points will include Meaningful Use incentives for electronic healthcare records, regulations affecting scope of practice, recognition by employers, and utility as an outcome measure. Attendees will gain a greater understanding of how student assessment and graduate certification can do much more than just satisfy regulatory requirements by helping improve organizational and student outcomes, including job placement and loan repayment.
“ACCET’s New and Revised Standards”
Presenter: ACCET Staff and Advisory Committee
Learn more about revisions to ACCET Standards for Accreditation and their scheduled implementation following the five-year review process, which involved significant participation and comment from ACCET institutions and their students. What are the changes to the ACCET Standards for Accreditation, and why were they proposed? What revisions are proposed to the Analytic Self-Evaluation Report (ASER) and supplementary templates for specific programs (e.g. ESOL, Occupational Associate Degrees, and Nursing/Allied Health)? Hear from the Commissioners and institutional members who supported and participated in the standards review process.
“The Infamous DOCUMENT 28/28.1—New & Improved”
Presenter: ACCET Staff and Commissioners
YOU ASKED FOR IT and the Commission has delivered! Documents 28 and 28.1 are getting a makeover. Join us for a review of the proposed revisions at the 2015 Annual Conference. What does this mean for completion, verification, transfers, and waivers? This session will focus on both policy revision and strategies to meet benchmark. Come prepared to discuss your strategies for successful student outcomes.