5 Secrets for a Smooth Site Visit

Whether or not your institution has a good accreditation site visit depends on your programs, your people, your documentation, and your months-to-years of preparation. By the time the actual site visit rolls around, it’s easy to think, “Well, we’ve done everything we can. Whatever will be will be.” In some ways, this might be true, but, as you can guess from the title of this blog, there are still some things that you can do to make sure your site visit is the best it can be. I spoke with four different onsite evaluators and turned their suggestions into this list of 5 beneficial (yet often overlooked) considerations that can help institutions feel more prepared, evaluators feel more comfortable, and ensure a better experience overall.

1. Clean up your space.

   There’s a reason that we don’t tell new graduates that they can wear whatever they want to job interviews, and it’s the same reason that we recommend making sure your institution’s buildings are clean and tidy before a site visit—first impressions matter. Sure, whether or not you have vacuumed your floors shouldn’t impact the quality of your academic programs, but a well-organized and clean environment signal to your evaluators that you take your work seriously, you value their comfort, and that you don’t use FERPA-protected information as coasters in your breakroom. Remember, there's solid research out there saying our physical spaces can sway our thinking, emotions, and even our actions, ultimately influencing decisions and how we connect with others. So, file documents neatly, make sure that desks are uncluttered, and create an ambience of attention-to-detail and efficiency. Show your evaluators that you can be trusted to take care of what you have, what you offer, and who you serve.

2. Have your people there (unless you absolutely can’t).
   Evaluators take time away from their work and families, pack their suitcases, launch themselves through the troposphere, and spend a 10-hour day in uncomfortable business clothes because they care about the success of higher education institutions. It makes total sense that maybe not every member of your staff, board, or student body is going to be physically present for your site visit, but it’s not a great look if your key leadership and staff aren’t available. I probably don’t need to tell you that everyone experiences occasional technical issues with Teams, Zoom, and internet connectivity. These potential issues become much less daunting when you’re not depending on video calls for your most important interviews. In case that’s not persuasive enough, consider the following:

   Your friend has invited you to their 40th birthday party in Hawaii! You’ve flown halfway across the world to celebrate with her. You go to the hotel, unpack, put on your party outfit, and head to the venue. When you get there, you and the other guests find out that the birthday girl couldn’t make it, and she’s actually just going to call into the party on an iPad. She’s still technically attending the party—but does it change how you feel about the experience or maybe even about the birthday girl, herself?

3. Think through your meeting space.
   The onsite team needs a private meeting space where they can work, talk, and eat their lunches and snacks. First, this space should be sound-proof. No one wants to feel like they’re in a goldfish bowl with people staring into their workspace all day, and no one wants to whisper for 8 hours because they don’t feel like they can speak freely. Second, but no less important, this space should be close to a bathroom. Time between interviews is short; don’t make your team walk a mile, unlock a series of doors, and answer a Sphynx’s riddle before they can use the bathroom. Finally, consider the temperature. Berkeley’s National Laboratory compared the data from several studies and found the ideal temperature for productivity was around 71° F. Obviously, factors like room shape and size, number of people working inside, and weather/seasonality will affect this, but it’s a good number to keep in mind. This suggestion may seem overly nit-picky to you, but in literally every office I have ever worked in, there has been at least one heated exchange (pun definitely intended) over the office temperature. If this is something you can easily control, why not take the opportunity to set yourself up for success? Why not make people as comfortable as possible?
   Pro-tip: I know there may not be a ton of flexibility in the meeting spaces your institution can offer, but consider that several studies have shown that people feel happier and report improved mood when they’re in spaces with natural light.

4. Thoughtful refreshments.
   Sharpen those note-taking pencils: I am going to give you some very practical suggestions based on many years of event planning.

   • Coffee: Obviously, it’s nice to have coffee, but here’s a pro-tip: have good coffee. 75% of adults in the United States drink coffee. As a coffee-drinker myself, I’ll freely admit that I need at least one cup of coffee to think and function normally. Don’t force people to choke down tepid pond water just to function—it’s a terrible way to start the day. If you can’t make good coffee (or if you don’t have a coffee maker), order a box/carafe of coffee from a coffee shop. Have sugar and sugar-free sweetener, regular cream, and a dairy-free option. Easy.

   • Tea: I do not personally understand why people love tea, but love it they do. At every single event I’ve ever planned, the one thing that never fails to astound me is how much tea people drink. Have an electric kettle available, caffeinated black tea, green tea, and an herbal tea like mint or lemon, and you’re good to go.

   • Sparkling Water: People love this option. It’s fancier than regular water, but still feels healthy, I guess? And the bubbles can help keep everyone awake. I’d keep the flavors basic and citrusy—lemon, lime, or grapefruit.

   • Bottled Water: Pretty self-explanatory. If you find the idea of one-time use water bottles unconscionable, you can consider providing reusable water bottles (washed ahead of time!) and a water station where people can refill their bottles with purified water. Even if your city has “really great tap water!” I would urge you to reconsider.

   • Regular and Diet Soda
     Have diet and regular versions of a brown soda (Pepsi/Coke) and a clear soda (Sprite/Sierra Mist).

   • Individually-Packaged Snacks
     Anyone who has ever worked in a restaurant will tell you that once you take a food safety course, you’ll never see the world the same way again. Germs are everywhere and, especially when you’re in a new location, it’s really nice to know that you’re the only person who has handled your food. Bringing in some sort of homemade treats is so lovely and kind. It really is a thoughtful gesture, but it’s not one that I would recommend. Have a few options of individually packaged foods like granola bars; small bags of chips, pretzels, or trail mix; individual yogurts, or even beef jerky.

   • Consider Dietary Restrictions: In 2022, survey data showed that over 50% of Americans eat according to a specific pattern or restriction, with plant-based, gluten-free, and vegetarian/vegan lifestyles listed as some of the fastest-growing preferences. It’s very likely that many/most of the snacks you choose will align with these parameters, but it’s always good to be aware of factors like this. (I’d also throw in from personal experience, that it’s a great idea to have at least one snack item that is nut-free in case someone with an allergy is assigned to your team).

5. Review your self-study.
   This might seem like a no-brainer since this is what the entire site visit is about, but you’d be shocked by how many people don’t take the time to review their own self-evaluation report. It’s easy to think that all of your team members will have all the information that they need for the questions that evaluators will ask, but it's not just about knowing the answers; it’s about understanding the language and context that was presented to the evaluators. Every team member should have contributed to the self-study, but at a minimum, they should have the opportunity to read the portions that pertain to their daily functions. If your team isn’t in sync with the latest tweaks or updates in your projects or programs, things can get a bit awkward. If there have been any last-minute changes after the self-study was submitted, share these updates with your team members so they can speak intelligently to those changes. This helps you avoid an “Oops, that’s what we used to do last year” moment during the evaluation.

   And let’s not forget about the leadership team. They often have a broad understanding of how the pieces come together, but might not be able to speak to specific details. A comprehensive review of the self-study ensures that when they speak to evaluators, they're not ad-libbing outdated info or introducing new terminology that only causes more confusion. A review of the self-study also gives your team a last-minute chance to address and correct any errors with the evaluators while they are onsite.

Perhaps, after reading these suggestions, you find yourself thinking, “this sounds like a lot of extra work, and none of these things are going to improve the programs we offer or the final result of my accreditation site visit.” Technically you’re right, dear hypothetical and cantankerous reader, but, as anyone who has ever run a half-marathon in shoes that are slightly too small can tell you, little things can make a big difference. If you were sitting in a courtroom waiting for a judge’s verdict on whether you were going to jail, would you want the judge to be comfortable, relaxed, and happy; or would you want them to be overheated, hungry, and going through caffeine-withdrawal? 

Second, your onsite evaluators are your professional peers. Accreditation is a small world, and your institution’s site visit is going to be the first (and probably the only) impression that some of your peers have of your institution. Remember, the goal of the site visit is not just to survive the scrutiny but to thrive under it by showcasing the very best of what your institution has to offer. Taking these small extra steps is not to win over evaluators so that they’ll be nicer to you; it is, ultimately, a way to demonstrate that your institution has established a culture of excellence and attention to detail.