As you read in the last issue of the Gazette, an ASBDC Accreditation Review Team is coming to visit us in June. For staff around the network that have never experienced an accreditation visit, and are dreading a one-to-one interrogation by one of the reviewers – RELAX! It is most likely reviewers will meet with you in a small group (except the directors, who will have the honor of a one-on-one meeting). If you are interested in the type of questions they might ask, click here. The most important thing is that you answer the reviewers’ questions honestly, show that you know your job and how it supports the SBDC mission.
A typical Regional Center visit will last from 2 to 3 hours. Generally, the reviewer will meet with the Center Director first, then meet with the rest of the staff. During the visit, the reviewer will look at the work space in the office, the signs, the equipment, and the floor plan. At some point, the reviewer will ask to look at some case files and training files. In general, the reviewers will want to confirm the information presented in the Self-Study Guide. This year, because Central has requested Technology Accreditation, the reviewer may talk to the Director and staff about the technical processes and technology used to provide services to the clients.
During their conversations with staff at Central and the Regional Centers, the reviewers will be looking for confirmation that the Strategic Plan is deployed and that all the staff are familiar with the objectives. They will probably ask us about the processes we use and whether they are documented. I am sure they will ask regional center staff about their contact with the Central Office. For example, do members of the Central staff visit the Regional Center? How often do you hear from them? Do they share information? Do you feel comfortable working with them to resolve a problem or answer a question?
The reviewers will probably ask Center Directors about their relationship with the campus and the community. For example, do they (the directors) or designated staff participate on campus committees? Does the SBDC sponsor any events with the campus? Do students and/or faculty members participate in SDBC activities? Another key relationship is the SBDC-SBA relationship. The reviewers might ask how often an SBA official visits the Regional Center, and if the SBDC collaborates with SBA resource partners such as SCORE. The reviewers also might ask about the Regional Center’s partnerships with the local Chamber of Commerce, business and trade associations, and economic development agencies – SBDC’s links to the business community.
Lastly, the reviewers will be interested to observe the attitude and outlook of the SBDC staff. Are they enthusiastic about the program – professional, friendly, courteous? Do they know their jobs and the SBDC values? Are they committed to helping entrepreneurs and small business owners?
As you can see in the following excerpt from the cover letter that accompanied the 2002 Review Team’s report, the reviewers had a positive impression of the staff:
We’d like to acknowledge a number of positive attributes found at the SBDC during our visit. Among others, the team found the staff to be generally well experienced and committed to their work. The SBDC also has a very detailed management and monitoring system, some elements of which might be of interest to other SBDCs. The SBDC has strong lead center leadership and direction, and the SBDC is recognized and valued across the SUNY system.
If you would like to review the full report from the 2002 Accreditation Review Team, click here.
If you read the Gazette issues and attached documents, you should be very well prepared to talk to the reviewers and give them a similarly positive impression in 2007. If you have questions about anything you read in the Gazette, please talk to your director or call or email Mary Hoffman. 518-641-0620; mary.hoffman@nysbdc.org.
