Strategic Planning Day
Faculty and students collaborate for HLC visit
Kylie Jacobsen
Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: News
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Strategic planning day provides professors and students a chance to discuss curriculum and campus activities that do and could better serve the students of Southwest Minnesota State University, according to a list of ten academic and societal outcomes devised by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Ultimately, the outcomes directly relate to the school's mission.
The lists and ideas compiled during the three-hour session will be the foundation for the accreditation visit that will be conducted by the HLC in spring 2013.
The HLC review process occurs once every ten years in colleges across the state to verify the accreditation of each school. Without the accreditation, colleges are not eligible for federal funding. Additionally, students' degrees many not transfer or they may not qualify for graduate school.
"This year, we will begin for the 10 year HLC review process and it will take three years to get ready… three years goes by very quickly," said SMSU President David Danahar in his opening speech.
Seven years ago, the HLC gave SMSU a successful review, allowing that in the next ten years the college would need to create a more coherent general education program in which each class had ties to other courses. The HLC also recommended that SMSU have a more clear assessment plan process.
"The review will be much more thorough than last time, so we've got to be ready," said Dr. Mary Hickerson, self-study coordinator for the previous SMSU accreditation visit and associate provost. This spring will be the last semester for Hickerson. The university is still looking for a self-study coordinator for the 2013 accreditation visit.
"You learn so much more about the institution you are apart of," Hickerson said.
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