Accreditation Update: October 2, 2012

As has been noted previously, the Criteria for Accreditation of the Higher Learning Commission have five separate categories. Under each criterion are a series of core components and subcomponents, in all totaling 21 core components and an additional 58 subcomponents. As part of our reaccreditation process, Concordia College needs to provide evidence that it meets all of these. During the next few campus updates, we will be providing a little more detail about each of the Criteria for Accreditation.  Updates about criteria one and two can be found here  and here.

The third criterion requires institutions seeking accreditation to verify the quality of the academic program on their campus; this includes providing evidence that we have the ability to offer programs of excellence, both on campus and in our off-campus sites.  The Commission expects institutions to "... provide high quality education, wherever and however its offerings are delivered."  In a college like Concordia that takes pride in its study away programs and also seeks to increase the number of students studying off-campus, this presents a challenge as we strive to document that the experience students receive abroad is equal to that which they could receive on campus.

We are also asked to provide evidence that students experience a rich and challenging general education program, have access to rigorous degree programs, and can utilize appropriate and extensive student support services.  Finally, if we make claims for an "enriched educational environment," for example, claiming our students are "dedicated to the Christian life," we need to document that this does, in fact, occur. Providing evidence for such claims is problematic for all faith-based institutions, yet the Commission expects that we collect data to support our claims.

A booklet describing all of the requirements of the Higher Learning Commission can be found here. 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 and Michael Wohlfeil - or to any of the members of the Self-Study Steering Committee.

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