Resolution for Pursuit of Reaccreditation with the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (July 2008)

Whereas maintaining regional accreditation is critically important to the continued success of Ferris State University, including continued access for students to federal financial aid, and

Whereas the University is scheduled for review of its accredited status during the 2010-2011 academic year, and

Whereas a comprehensive and broadly inclusive self-study process, as required by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) standards, is expected to take more than two years, and

Whereas the standards for accreditation are substantially changed since the time of the last reaccreditation visit in 2000-01, with greater emphases upon future planning, assessment of student learning, and diversity, among other topics, and

Whereas preparations for this work began in the late fall of 2007 and gained momentum during the spring semester of 2008, with the appointment of self-study co-chairs, a steering committee, a self-study coordinator, a self-study writer, five criterion committees, and a data committee — all from the ranks of the current Ferris faculty and administration, and

Whereas the steering committee includes representatives from all colleges and major employee groups, including Kendall College of Art and Design, and

Whereas the Board of Trustees desires to make formal and explicit its commitment to a comprehensive, inclusive, valuable, and introspective process, and its plan to review interim findings, and

Whereas the Board desires a positive reaccreditation visit where the strengths of the University are acknowledged and opportunities for continued improvement are identified by an external review team,

Therefore, be it resolved that the Board of Trustees of Ferris State University authorizes the administration to pursue reaccreditation for an additional ten-year period with the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.