Message from MSA President Henry G. Cram, Ed.D
As we end the 2016-2017 school year, I want to take this opportunity to thank all of our members who took the time to respond to our Bi-Annual Membership Survey this month. This year, the survey was especially important to us as we are completing our current strategic planning cycle (Leadership for Learning), and finalizing our new strategic plan, which will take effect in January 2018 (Taking Accreditation to the Next Level).We will be analyzing your responses in the coming weeks, but a preliminary review of your feedback shows a continuing improvement in our accreditation services and protocols and in our relationship with our member institutions. Ninety-seven percent of members surveyed indicated the accreditation process is a major factor in improving their school or school system’s performance; an increase of 7 percent since the initial survey in 2011. Increases can also be noted when it comes to assisting with curriculum alignment, improving governance and leadership and serving as a catalyst for change.
The survey also shows improvement in our communications with our member schools and an increase in member satisfaction with accreditation officers and staff relations and performance.
We have also received some great suggestions for further improvement and new ways in which we can be of greater service to you. There is discernible and growing interest in more online and web-based resources, including but certainly not limited to an online self-study process, trainings on specific components of the accreditation process, trainings for chairs and trainings for team members. And finally, the survey results affirm the decision to expand our mission to include “providing the network and resources for the promotion of proven practices” for our members.
We will be implementing many of your suggestions in the coming months as part of our new strategic planning efforts.
Staying in touch with our membership is important to us and informs how we plan for and monitor our improvement efforts.
This year’s survey results have reinforced our goal of the continuous improvement of our services to our member schools. The responses gathered will set a clear path for the continuation of that progress.
We are committed to demonstrating to you, our membership, that we practice what we preach!
