1. Create Your Own Magic Using
a CAS Self-Study
NSEE – Orlando, Florida
September 2008
Cathy Stablein and Jean Spahr
College of DuPage

2. Create Your Own Magic…
• The Council for the Advancement of
Standards in Higher Education
www.cas.edu
• Buy the self-study guidelines for Internship
Programs…will work for Co-op too.
• Assemble your team…

3. Create Your Own Magic, cont.
• Dedicate a good amount of time and
effort…
• Be open-minded…
• Why? It is good business & may produce
program innovations and improvements
that are magical!

4. Look at the CAS Components…
• Mission
• Program
• Leadership
• Organization and Management

5. Look at CAS Components, cont.
• Human Resources
• Financial Resources
• Facilities, Technology, and Equipment
• Legal Responsibilities
• Equity and Access

6. CAS Components, cont.
• Campus and External Relations
• Diversity
• Ethics
• Assessment and Evaluation

7. Self-Assessment Process
• Establish the self-study process and
review team.
• Understand the CAS Standards and Self-
Assessment Guide.
• Compile and review documentary
evidence.

8. Self-Assessment Process, cont.
• Judge performance objectively.
• Complete the assessment process.
• Let the magic begin!

9. Moving toward the Magic!
• Based on what you have learned, what
dreams do you have for your program??
• What magic is possible with the support of
your team?
• What will you do first??

10. COD Reality = Action Plans
• During FY 08, the CEIP program manager, in
collaboration with a faculty committee,
conducted a CAS program self-study. During
FY 09 recommendations from the self-study will
be selected for implementation based on
feasibility, available staff, etc. The impact of
innovations will be measured via stakeholder
surveys and student learning outcomes with the
aim of a 2% increase in the balanced scorecard
measures of engaging students, engaging
faculty, and engaging the community in work-
integrated learning.

11. Action Plan, cont.…
• 9/3/2008 3:14:41 PM JEAN A SPAHR
Based on the CAS self-study and changes at
COD, I have selected the following areas for
improvement over a three year period: adopt
online forms and electronic permits; rewrite
stakeholder handbooks; streamline the process
of preparing students to pursue and succeed at
coops and internships; and adapt to Datatel with
the goal of streamlining the student registration
and faculty payment process. Improvements in
these areas should impact the Balanced
Scorecard measures for this unit.

12. Magic at College of DuPage (COD)
• Magical transformation from a
“one person shop” with action
plans to accomplish to a “one
person shop” with a team of well-
versed faculty offering support
and ideas.

13. More magic …
• Credit-based internship course for
faculty… first time ever is underway!
• “Academy of Faculty Scholars” working
collaboratively toward program
improvement.

14. Magical transformations to come…
• Electronic forms and electronic Permits to
Register.
• New handbooks for stakeholders.
• Streamlined process of preparing students
to pursue and succeed at work-integrated
learning.
• Streamlined course registration and
faculty payment process.

15. Looking to create
your own magic??
• Consider doing a CAS self-study… review
and plan.
• Go outside your own department to tap
faculty and staff.
• Systematically go through all the CAS
components, as appropriate to your
program.

16. Looking to Create Magic??
• Sit with the results of your self-study for
awhile.
• Select the improvements that mean the
most to you and your stakeholders.
• Enjoy the process of working magic with
the support of your self-study team!

17. Discussion…
• Magical results… or any results at your
institution using the CAS self-study guide?
• Plans to begin a CAS self-study? Fears?
• Questions… Concerns… Ideas…

18. Creating Our Own Magic…
• Cathy Stablein, Professor of Journalism
and Publications Advisor, College of
DuPage
• Jean Spahr, Manager of the Cooperative
Education and Internship Program,
College of DuPage
• CAS Self-Study Committee and Co-
op/Internship Faculty Advisory Board

19. Thank You
• Amit Karnani
• Amitkarnani.ips@gmail.com
• Jaipur, India