In September 2018, Boulder Today ԲԴdzܲԳ Boulder’s next national accreditation is scheduled for 2020. In December of 2019, a team of leading educators will visit campus to review the university as a whole and provide recommendations for continued improvement.
Since the process was announced, groups made up of faculty, staff and graduate and undergraduate students have been meeting to discuss how Boulder fulfills the five criteria by which the university is accredited. In late May or early June, a draft report will be made available to the campus community for feedback and suggestions by the end of August.
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Russ Moore says that accreditation represents “a welcomed opportunity for introspection about Boulder’s strengths and challenges, as well as an opportunity to gain feedback from the team of higher education leaders assembled by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).”
Katherine Eggert, vice provost for academic planning and assessment, says, although many faculty are away from campus between May and August, there will be thoughtful engagement and feedback opportunities for the draft report.
“The campus input period is one of the most important phases of the accreditation process because it provides the opportunity for all constituents on campus,not just the ones selected to serve on committees, to weigh in and provide feedback and direction on this critical process,” Eggert said.
“Unfortunately, our time framework was determined by the campus review, which is scheduled for December 2019,” Eggert added. “The committees will need the months immediately preceding that visit to work through all the feedback we receive during the public input period.”
Eggert says she hopes when faculty leave campus for the summer, they will keep this process in mind and check in to provide feedback amid their other plans and commitments.
“Faculty should be on the lookout for an email from me and for Boulder Today updates, pointing them to the accreditation website, where they will be able to review the report and provide feedback.”
Boulder is accredited by the HLC, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. Accreditation review takes place every 10 years and requires a comprehensive evaluation of the university’s programs, policies and practices.
Campus updates will be available on the accreditation website.