Every ten years, the state of Gustavus Adolphus College is reevaluated through an accreditation process by the Higher Learning Commission in order to be recognized as a quality institution of higher education. This process provides validation of the College.
Therefore, the Higher Learning Commission Steering Committee is given the task to prepare for the comprehensive evaluation of Gustavus by the Higher Learning Commission in April 2013.
“Accreditation is a process of external quality review of higher education institutions. The review process has two primary goals: to assure the quality of the institution and to improve the quality of the institution,” said co-coordinator Carolyn Dobler said.
Dobler is working on the committee alongside Chris Gilbert.
“The process is one of peer-review, in that the external reviewers are members of other institutions of higher education. In addition, federal and state funding is only available to accredited institutions,” Dobler said.
To achieve accreditation, the institution must meet five criteria: 1) following a clear mission that guides the operations of the institution, 2) acting with integrity, 3) providing quality teaching and learning, 4) responsibility for continually evaluating and improving academic and support services, and finally, 5) having sufficient resources, structures, and processes to fulfill its mission.
“Every ten years, an institution undergoes a comprehensive evaluation in which it must demonstrate that it meets or exceeds each of the Criteria for Accreditation, that it conforms with Assumed Practices, and that it is in compliance with certain federal requirements,” Dobler said. “The institution produces a self-study and submits it to the Higher Learning Commission. The Higher Learning Commission appoints a team of peer reviewers, who read the self-study and conduct a 3-day site visit, and then prepare a report to the Higher Learning Commission with their recommendations for reaffirmation of accreditation.”
Gilbert and Dobler have been working for two and a half years coordinating all aspects of the comprehensive visit, in addition to gathering the evidence to write the self-study. The committee consists of student representatives as well as faculty from all segments of the college, from professors to vice presidents.
“The self-study addresses each criterion and its core components, focusing on those aspects which are clearly prescribed by the Higher Learning Commission. The Gustavus self-study demonstrates that the college meets all five criteria for accreditation, and identifies areas for improvement as well,” Gilbert said.
The committee is important to providing assurance to the public and the Gustavus community that the College has met certain criteria to be called an institution of higher education. As such, it is also necessary for students to understand what those criteria consist of.
“I’m the student representative on the committee. I view my role as bringing a student perspective to the group and contributing information that faculty and staff may not have on the Gustavus experience,” Senior Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Chemistry major Sarah Lucht said.
“It is a confidential document and meant only for members of the Gustavus community. As such, it would benefit everyone to read it and learn more about Gustavus,” Lucht said.
“Students should familiarize themselves with the Criteria for Accreditation and read the self-study document, available at https://gustavus.edu/provost/HLC/. The peer review team will be on campus April 21-24, and will meet with students as well as other members of the campus community as part of its deliberations,” Gilbert said.