Denison Gets Put to the Test
Accreditation check to start Nov. 15
Shavely Peralta
Issue date: 10/27/09 Section: News
Students will not be the only ones getting evaluated come a few weeks.
During the Informational Forum held yesterday (Oct. 29) in Burton Morgan Lecture Hall, self-study chair and associate professor of biology Jessica Rettig took time to update students, teaching faculty, professional and administrative staff, supportive operating staff and community members about Denison's recent self-study report and the comprehensive review visit by Denison's accrediting agency, the North Central Association (NCA).
Like all colleges and universities in the United States, Denison undergoes an accreditation check every ten years. Accreditation is a voluntary, independent review of educational programs to determine that the education provided is meeting certain standards and providing quality education. A college or university's accreditation is maintained by continued adherence to the set criteria. In Denison's case, accreditation will verify that Denison is a liberal arts college of high caliber, that it is meeting the needs of its students and that it is managing the institution with integrity according to its mission.
Among the assurance of quality and adherence to academic standards, successful accreditation means that Denison will continue to be able to receive federal and state financial aid programs, such as Pell Grants for our students in need.
As part of the accreditation process, Denison underwent a self-study to explore its recent past, its strengths, and the challenges that it faces. The Accreditation Committee has been gathering self-study information from many areas on campus for the past several months. The report responds to five specific criteria posed by the NCA: Mission & Integrity, Preparing for the Future, Student Learning & Effective Teaching, Acquisition and Discovery & Application of Knowledge and Engagement & Service. Denison's self-study report, A Decade of Purpose & Progress, can be viewed at http://www.denison.edu/offices/provost/selfstudy/index/html and two hard copies are on-reserve in Doane Library. This report was sent to the NCA office and the team of consultant evaluators on Sept. 21.
The team of four consultant evaluators from the NCA will arrive at Denison on Sunday, Nov. 15 and leave on Wednesday, Nov. 18. During their visit they will conduct a comprehensive review of the college that will include, but not limit, an informal lunch with students in the dining halls, daily meetings with President Dale Knobel and a lunch session with the trustees. Also, open meetings with a group of student leaders, interested faculty and administrators, each senior administrator, hourly staff, faculty leadership and even talking with some representative members of the Granville community should be anticipated to occur.
"The team's general goal is to give everyone who wants, a chance to share [their opinion] with one or more of the visiting team," Rettig said.
So sharpen those pencils Denison, you do not want to be unprepared for this evaluation.
During the Informational Forum held yesterday (Oct. 29) in Burton Morgan Lecture Hall, self-study chair and associate professor of biology Jessica Rettig took time to update students, teaching faculty, professional and administrative staff, supportive operating staff and community members about Denison's recent self-study report and the comprehensive review visit by Denison's accrediting agency, the North Central Association (NCA).
Like all colleges and universities in the United States, Denison undergoes an accreditation check every ten years. Accreditation is a voluntary, independent review of educational programs to determine that the education provided is meeting certain standards and providing quality education. A college or university's accreditation is maintained by continued adherence to the set criteria. In Denison's case, accreditation will verify that Denison is a liberal arts college of high caliber, that it is meeting the needs of its students and that it is managing the institution with integrity according to its mission.
Among the assurance of quality and adherence to academic standards, successful accreditation means that Denison will continue to be able to receive federal and state financial aid programs, such as Pell Grants for our students in need.
As part of the accreditation process, Denison underwent a self-study to explore its recent past, its strengths, and the challenges that it faces. The Accreditation Committee has been gathering self-study information from many areas on campus for the past several months. The report responds to five specific criteria posed by the NCA: Mission & Integrity, Preparing for the Future, Student Learning & Effective Teaching, Acquisition and Discovery & Application of Knowledge and Engagement & Service. Denison's self-study report, A Decade of Purpose & Progress, can be viewed at http://www.denison.edu/offices/provost/selfstudy/index/html and two hard copies are on-reserve in Doane Library. This report was sent to the NCA office and the team of consultant evaluators on Sept. 21.
The team of four consultant evaluators from the NCA will arrive at Denison on Sunday, Nov. 15 and leave on Wednesday, Nov. 18. During their visit they will conduct a comprehensive review of the college that will include, but not limit, an informal lunch with students in the dining halls, daily meetings with President Dale Knobel and a lunch session with the trustees. Also, open meetings with a group of student leaders, interested faculty and administrators, each senior administrator, hourly staff, faculty leadership and even talking with some representative members of the Granville community should be anticipated to occur.
"The team's general goal is to give everyone who wants, a chance to share [their opinion] with one or more of the visiting team," Rettig said.
So sharpen those pencils Denison, you do not want to be unprepared for this evaluation.
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