Appreciation
NASD is grateful to those individuals who volunteer their time and dedicate their service to the NASD review process. The work of visiting evaluators provides immeasurable assistance to institutions conducting accreditation reviews, and assists to initiate, enrich, and advance important conversation pertaining to the education and training of dance professionals, and to dance in higher education.
Procedures for Visiting Evaluators
Each visiting team is asked to review and study carefully the information found within the document located below, Procedures for Visiting Evaluators, before, during, and after each visit. This document is comprehensive, all-inclusive, and a) provides an orientation to the visitation process, b) outlines the procedures for on-site visits, c) describes the procedures for completing and filing Visitors’ Reports, d) confirms protocols, e) includes the format to be used when writing Visitors’ Reports, and f) offers helpful information addressing the on-site evaluation of student work. Paired with the Handbook, this document constitutes the resources each evaluator must study, follow, and use in order to successfully conduct and complete an on-site visit.
Writing the Visitors’ Report
Each visiting team is required to write a Visitors’ Report and submit it to NASD within six weeks of the on-site visit. Within the Procedures for Visiting Evaluators, the link to which is provided above, is found a section entitled “Specifications for the Visitors’ Report.” This section provides important information regarding the approach to writing a Visitors’ Report, and also includes the Visitors’ Report template, which must be used by each visiting team. Noted headings must be included; instructions and questions found beneath each heading that guide the visitors in their writing should not be included in the Visitors’ Report. Instead, the Visitors’ Report should include cogent, clear, and comprehensive information that describes the institution’s apparent compliances with NASD standards pertaining to each topic.
The visiting evaluators are asked to pay particular attention to the requirements of Section N., ensuring the inclusion of a discussion of the institution’s apparent compliance with credit and time standards found in the NASD Handbook (Standards for Accreditation III.). Also, the visiting evaluators must include in Section N. a discussion of the a) status, b) curriculum, c) title/content consistency, d) student work, e) development of competencies, and f) overall effectiveness of each curricular program/degree falling under the listing purview of NASD.
Should evaluators require assistance during the preparation of Visitors’ Reports, please contact Nora Hamme in the National Office directly.
Expense Statement Form
The Expense Statement form linked below is intended for use only by visiting evaluators in reporting expenses directly related to NASD visitations.
Additional Helpful Information
Visiting evaluators may now log in to access a private area on the website containing resources such as the September memorandum regarding work for the current academic year; the Procedures for Visiting Evaluators, including the Visitors’ Report Template; an Expense Statement form; and additional information of importance to visiting evaluators that are added from time to time.
Please contact the National Office with any questions regarding accessing your account as a visiting evaluator.