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Show page 2 The Tfumdermrd Monday, October 3, 1983 report gives strengths, weaknesses Self-stud-y by Paul Husselbee For the second time in its history, Southern Utah State College has produced an internal which should lead to the schools accreditation by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, said Rodney Decker, SUSC accreditation chairman. r The process examined the various departments and schools of the college, and determined strengths and weaknesses of each area, Decker said. The thing that gave birth to the accreditation process was the desire of the administration and faculty to give students the best education possible, Decker said. And the study fit right in line with the Northwest Association, since it requires that all accredited y institutions perform a every 10 years. ..it has taken two years for us to we now have. get the SUSC first received accreditation from the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges in 1973, Decker said. Accreditation, said Decker, is a voluntary effort of colleges and universities in the United States to evaluate the programs of their campuses to make sure they are meeting the standards which have been set by peer institutions across the nation. This is done so that one college or university, as far as their particular academic program, can be considered y two-yea- self-stud- similar, as far as quality is concerned, to other programs at that level across the nation, he said. The entire accreditation process is voluntary. Its an effort to assess the strengths and weaknesses and the potential of colleges, he said. The benefits of accreditation for an institutions students are many, said Decker. No law requires that a college actively seek accreditation, but if you are not accredited, then it does create a number of problems for your students. A student from an accredited college would have a much easier time getting into a professional or graduate school The accreditation guarantees students that programs offered at SUSC are equal to or exceed programs at any other undergraduate institution... self-stud-y than would a student from a school, he said. The accreditation guarantees students that the programs offered at SUSC are equal to or exceed programs at any other undergraduate institution in the United States, Decker said. Now thats one of the greatest advantages. Decker believes that current teaching s methods and education technique are guaranteed a student at an accredited school. Students can be assured that some of the most recent first-clas- means of education and educational processes can be found. What we have had is a to find out where we are, to look at where we need to go and what we need to achieve in the future for the greatest success of the students and the faculty. One of the greater advantages of the two-yestudy the accreditation process entailed, said Decker, was the opportunity it gave the faculty and administration to analyze the programs at SUSC. There was an internal motivation to do the study. Before this evaluation ever began, the School of Business, Technology and Communications had been evaluated. Later the School of Business did the same, and the other two schools followed behind. y a Were hoping to make the cyclical process, he said. Each college or university is required to have an accreditation officer. Pauline Nelson represents SUSC in that capacity. y The actual and accreditation report was completed Sept. 1, and Decker said the college is very proud of the document. Its a fine document. Im familiar with other that have been done on the college ranks, and I have to say this one ranks right up there with the best of them. Officials representing the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges will be on campus to examine the report self-stud-y self-stud- five-ye- self-stud- igainst their own findings, he said. They will probably be inspecting the ampus and visiting classrooms and he said. hecking out the 'They already have a copy of the report tnd will have it read by the time they et there. SUSCs possibilities of receiving accreditation again are very good, said Decker. We do not say that everything in the says theres no changes :hat should be made, and they Northwest representatives) will probably ook at a few things and make some recommendations. But they accredit the entire institution at once, not just parts self-stud- self-stud-y Its a fine document. Im familiar with other that have been done on the self-studi- es college ranks. This one ranks up there with the best of them. of it, and if the positive factors outweigh the negative ones, I feel confident we will receive accreditation again. This all came about because of the tremendous support of the administration, particularly from President Sherratt and Vice President y Alger. The cost in the neighborhood of $20,000 to conduct, and we see that the college is willing to spend that kind of money to get the school accredited for the good of the students. self-stud- |