nstimack@mavs.coloradomesa.edu

Every 10 years, more than 1,000 higher learning institutions prepare for a comprehensive visit from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Although HLC will not visit CMU until November 2013, the university is already preparing for their visit.

The HLC is in charge of assuring that colleges and universities are doing the best possible job of educating students and preparing them for the future. For the remainder of the school year, CMU will conduct a self-study, evaluating its strengths and weaknesses. In November, the HLC will read and evaluate the self-study report, which will examine CMU’s eligibility for accreditation according to the commission’s criterion.

“Colleges or universities that do not have accreditation, such as online degree programs, are not recognized in the professional world or the business world,” English professor Julie Bruch said. “Any institution that wants its degrees to mean something in the real world has to be accredited by one of the national associations that accredit.”

Students, faculty, staff and community members are asked to participate in the study.

“We really invite feedback from students in any aspect of our operations,” Bruch said. “We are insiders, but we are trying to look at it objectively. We are trying to find where we need to improve, as well as knowing what we’re really good at.”

As part of the self-study, faculty and staff have put several hours into compiling required documents to be turned in for evaluation, including extensive faculty resumes that demonstrate their teaching qualifications.

“Mesa students deserve educators who are lifelong learners themselves,” Business professor Janice Lawson said. “[They deserve] professionals who stay current with educational trends and new developments in our field. While the accreditation process may seem like a hassle, I think it is entirely reasonable for the faculty to demonstrate our competence to teach at the university level.”

Gathering data and credentials from every faculty and staff member will help CMU prove itself in four different areas. Faculty must uphold their mission to the university by providing adequate documentation that they are qualified teachers and advisors to students as well as student organizations. They must also include any research or scholarship work that they are currently working on or have done in the past, and must document how they have serviced not only the campus, but also the community and state as well.

The commission’s full criterion can be viewed online at www.ncahlc.org. To contribute feedback to the self-study, email Bruch at jbruch@coloradomesa.edu, or stop by her office in Lowell Heiny Hall.