Accreditation Update: May 1, 2013

During the 2012-2013 academic year, Concordia College has continued to make preparations for the comprehensive evaluation by the Higher Learning Commission as it seeks reaffirmation of accreditation. The onsite visit is scheduled for November 4-6, 2013. Over the past few weeks, the Self-Study Steering Committee has held a series of open meetings, each focusing on one of the Criteria for Accreditation, to discuss the findings of the self-study and to receive additional suggestions for inclusion in the self-study report. The Self-Study Steering Committee is grateful to those who attended these sessions and is especially appreciative for the suggestions made to improve the process and for revising the self-study report.

The next steps will involve the creation of another draft of the report for consideration by the campus community. The Self-Study Steering Committee anticipates circulating the next draft no later than May 17, when it will be posted on the Concordia College accreditation web site. Additional suggestions will be welcomed at that point. We hope to receive final authorization for the report in early June so that it can be turned over to the Office of Communications and Marketing for final editing and publishing.

Other important summer tasks include the creation of an electronic resource room for use by the evaluation team and further planning for the logistical elements of the visit. The electronic resource room contains documents required by the Commission -- such as handbooks, audits, minutes -- and items the College elects to include as supporting evidence to document how we meet the Criteria for Accreditation. We expect that the Higher Learning Commission will inform the College of the tentative composition of an evaluation team, likely 4-5 members, within the next month or so.

The Self-Study Steering Committee continues to be pleased with the significant support for and interest in the self-study and accreditation process from the campus community. If you have questions about the Higher Learning Commission or Concordia’s approach to the self-study, please direct them to either of the coordinators - Kristi Loberg or Michael Wohlfeil - or to any of the members of the Self-Study Steering Committee. In addition, information about Concordia’s accreditation process including past updates, accreditation videos, and steering committee meetings can be found at the following website – http://www.cord.edu/CPort/HLC/hlc1.php.

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