October 20, 2009

Feedback sought on University's accreditation self-study

Faculty, staff and students are invited to help as Purdue's two-year process of preparing for accreditation review enters the home stretch.

The University's self-study document is now open for comment by the University community. Go to www.purdue.edu/accreditation.

Once every 10 years, Purdue gets a chance to take a comprehensive look at itself -- to assess its programs and operations in preparation for a review for reaccreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Purdue, which has been accredited continually since 1913, was last reviewed and fully accredited during 1999-2000.

More than 100 faculty and staff have taken part in preparations for the review, which will be conducted during a site visit in March 2010.

The preparation process has involved teams of Purdue faculty, staff and students who have identified progress, challenges and opportunities at the University in five specific areas defined by the commission and one area of special emphasis chosen by the University.

The result of that work is a document that will be presented to the HLC team before its March visit. 

The accreditation review committee seeks additional input from West Lafayette campus faculty, staff and students before finalizing the document. Beginning today (Oct. 20), the document is available online for comments at www.purdue.edu/accreditation. Those comments will be considered before the final self-study is published in January.

The self-study document includes an introduction and chapters on the specific areas. Those areas are:

* Mission and integrity. The organization operates with integrity to ensure the fulfillment of its mission through structures and processes that involve the board, administration, faculty, staff and students.

* Preparing for the future. The organization’s allocation of resources and its processes for evaluation and planning demonstrate its capacity to fulfill its mission, improve the quality of its education, and respond to future challenges and opportunities.

* Student learning and effective teaching. The organization provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its educational mission.

*  Acquisition, discovery and application of knowledge. The organization promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creativity, practices, and social responsibility in ways consistent with its mission.

*  Engagement and service. As called for by its mission, the organization identifies its constituencies and serves them in ways both value.

*  Synergies across the disciplines, which is Purdue's chosen area of emphasis based on strategic plan goals.

More information about the accreditation process is available at www.purdue.edu/accreditation