March 18, 2010
Accreditation Open Meetings
To the University Community:
As you know, we have been preparing for a review of SIUC’s accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. We have conducted a thorough self-study, which is available at http://ncaaccreditation.siuc.edu, and we will welcome a team of consultant-evaluators from the HLC to campus March 22-24.
The HLC team will conduct several open meetings to gather your input about the University and our self-study. I encourage you to participate in one of the sessions, scheduled as follows:
• Monday, March 22, 3 p.m., University Museum Auditorium, for staff.
• Monday, March 22, 4 p.m., University Museum Auditorium, for faculty.
• Monday, March 22, 4 p.m., Student Center Mississippi Room, for students.
• Tuesday, March 23, 10 a.m., University Museum Auditorium, for faculty.
Full accreditation, which lasts for 10 years, is of critical importance to our University. SIUC has maintained accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools continuously since 1913. Essentially, it is a formal stamp of approval that informs all members of our University community, future students, and the public that we are a nationally accredited university.
Accreditation also authorizes the SIUC community to receive federal funds, ranging from Head Start for pre-schoolers, to Pell grants for undergraduates, to National Science Foundation awards for research faculty – all totaling as much as $100 million a year.
The purpose of the review team’s visit is not to find fault with the University; rather, it is designed to explore our strengths, our challenges, and our short- and long-term plans to meet those challenges.
I hope you will join me in extending a warm welcome to our guests. I encourage you to attend one of the open meetings to offer your input.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Samuel Goldman, Ph.D.
Chancellor