To: President’s Cabinet, Provost’s Council of Deans, Provost’s Executive Committee
From: Edward Feser, Provost and Executive Vice President
January 17, 2018
Dear President’s Cabinet, Provost’s Council of Deans, Provost’s Executive Committee,
Oregon State University has been continuously accredited since 1924 and is currently accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), one of seven regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. OSU was last accredited in 2011, and because the NWCCU has moved from a 10-year cycle to a 7-year cycle, we have begun the process to prepare for a comprehensive site visit in 2019.
Today, our re-accreditation efforts were officially launched with a kick-off meeting that included many individuals from across the University, including some of you. Several committees have been formed to guide this important work. The Accreditation Project Team, led by Director of University Accreditation JoAnne Bunnage, will guide and support the overall accreditation preparation effort. An Accreditation Steering Committee will engage the University community in the accreditation process and provide leadership and advice regarding the development of the self-study report. Senior Vice Provost Susan Capalbo serves as our Accreditation Liaison Officer (ALO) and chairs the Accreditation Steering Committee. President Ray and the ALO provide the official points of contact between OSU and the NWCCU.
In addition to the Steering Committee, nearly 70 individuals from across OSU have been identified to serve on Accreditation Sub-Committees. These individuals will assist with gathering and analyzing data, writing responses to NWCCU Standards, and preparing for our site-visit in 2019. In late May, three Core Theme Committees will convene to focus on OSU’s core themes of Undergraduate Education, Graduate Education and Research, and Outreach and Engagement.
We have developed an OSU accreditation webpage to serve as a reference throughout the process. A campus forum will be held in the coming months where constituents from across campus will be invited to learn about accreditation and their needed involvement.
I appreciate the willingness of so many in our community to step forward help create the narrative that articulates the mission of OSU and reaffirms our University accreditation. If you or your colleagues have questions regarding the re-accreditation process or timeline, please contact Susan or JoAnne.
Thanks and best wishes,
Ed