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University
takes next step toward re-accreditation
By Sarah McNamara
Staff Reporter
The university’s public release of its self-study
report Oct. 28 represented one of the last major phases
in preparation for the upcoming visit from the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools, said Bonnie Melhart,
director for the office of self-study.
Melhart said that the draft form of the self-study document
can be found at the project Web site, (sacs.tcu.edu/SelfStudy/),
and all students, faculty and staff are invited to review
the document and provide comments.
“We want them to understand how higher education
works,” Melhart said. “We want them to feel
like they understand what the whole process is gaining
for TCU.”
Dennis Alexander, director of foundation relations for
University Advancement, served as the editor of the
self-study report and said he wanted to release the
document to the campus as soon as possible because students
and faculty have expressed interest in what the findings
were.
“The report is not meant to be a secretive process,”
Alexander said.
In preparing for re-accreditation, the self-study program,
which consists of 150 faculty, staff and students, has
reviewed and documented all facets of the institution
in order to meet the criteria determined by SACS, Melhart
said.
The self-study document contains information regarding
how the university is in compliance with SACS criteria.
University Librarian Bob Seal said he is not largely
concerned about whether or not the visiting team will
find anything where the university is not in compliance.
“We’ve got a good, strong report,” Seal
said. “TCU is a very good university and that will
be evident when they visit.”
The visiting team is made up of 20 college administrators
and faculty within SACS and will have read the self-study
report before inspecting the campus from Feb. 24 to
27, 2003, to decide whether to renew the university’s
accreditation.
Under SACS regulation, universities are required to
apply for re-accreditation every 10 years. A SACS committee
last visited the university in 1992.
A decision to renew the university’s accreditation
or not will not be made until December 2003.
Sarah
McNamara
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