Invitation & Update about Accreditation Efforts

From: Edward Feser, Provost and Executive Vice President

To: OSU campus community

12 March 2018

Dear Campus Community,

I am writing to invite you to our first Campus Forum on University Accreditation with Dr. Marlene Moore, NWCCU Interim President, on Wednesday, April 4th from 10 am – 11:30 am in the Horizon Room - MU. For additional details and to RSVP, please visit http://oregonstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eb3OcEL8KaAweAR

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. Currently, we are in preparation for our Year-7 Self-Evaluation Report and comprehensive site visit in 2019.

Earlier this term, OSU’s re-accreditation efforts were officially launched with a kick-off meeting attended by more than 80 individuals from across the University. Several committees have been formed to contribute to our important work, including:

  • The Accreditation Steering Committee, which is engaging the University community in the accreditation process and providing leadership on the development of our self-study report.
  • An Accreditation Sub-Committee, comprised of nearly 70 individuals from across OSU and tasked with gathering and analyzing data, and writing responses to NWCCU Standards.
  • Three Core Theme Committees that will convene in May to focus on OSU’s core themes of Undergraduate Education, Graduate Education and Research, and Outreach and Engagement.
  • The Accreditation Project Team, led by Director of University Accreditation JoAnne Bunnage, which is charges with guiding and supporting our overall accreditation effort.

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 the coming months, we will provide regular updates and opportunities for campus-wide involvement.

I appreciate the willingness of so many in our community to step forward to 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 Capalbo or JoAnne Bunnage.

Sincerely,


Edward Feser
Provost and Executive Vice President