Letter from the President
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Letter from the President Welcome to Western Illinois University’s 2010 Self-Study for Reaccreditation from the Higher Learning Commission–North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. We were first accredited as a teacher’s college in 1913, and accreditation has been continuous since that time. Western is a leading public comprehensive university in the Midwest with a residential campus in Macomb; an urban, nonresidential campus in the Quad Cities; and the state’s first extension and distance learning programs. With an outstanding, diverse faculty and staff committed to multicultural and international education, we offer undergraduate and graduate programs of study to more than 12,600 students from 92 Illinois counties, 35 states, and 70 countries. Western’s core values, which shape our mission, are academic excellence, educational opportunity, personal growth, and social responsibility. As such, the title of this self-study, Higher Values in Higher Education, is intentional and meaningful. In academic year 2002-2003, one year after receiving ten years of Commission reaccreditation with no follow-up visits or reports—the highest level of reaffirmation an institution can receive—Western implemented the Higher Values in Higher Education strategic planning, budgeting, and accountability reporting process. As this Self-Study demonstrates, we have successfully used our original strategic plan and the updated Higher Values in Higher Education 2008-2018 to achieve our goals and priorities; advance our mission; and continue the vision of leadership in educational quality, opportunity, and affordability among our peers. You will find that this Self-Study reflects a meaningful four-year process during which students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members honestly and critically evaluated our status in relation to the criteria for accreditation; the standards for federal compliance; and our strengths, challenges, and opportunities in relation to three special emphases: (1) Strengthening Distance Education, (2) Growing Our Two Campuses, and (3) Measuring and Demonstrating Our Values. The end result is an action document endorsed by all of the governance groups on both campuses—Macomb and the Quad Cities—that has been approved by the Western Illinois University Board of Trustees. It is with great pride that I present Western Illinois University’s Self-Study that will work in tandem with Higher Values in Higher Education in the years ahead as we continue to prepare our students and graduates to lead in the global community. As outlined in the plan, and with successful implementation of Commission consultation, we will continue to do so in a manner that is distinctive and nationally recognized. I also wish to invite those new to Western to learn more about our great university by visiting wiu.edu and wiu.edu/qc. Sincerely, Al Goldfarb President Western Illinois University Board of Trustees June 4, 2010 Resolution No. 10.6/10 Institutional Self-Study for Re-Accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission-North Central Association of Colleges and Schools WHEREAS Western Illinois University’s Self-Study for institutional re-accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission-North Central Association of Colleges and Schools was a collaborative four-year process following precedent used in other University planning activities; and, WHEREAS Academic Year 2007-2008 focused on updating Higher Values in Higher Education that guided the Self-Study; and academic years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 involved writing by 10 teams that represented over 200 members of the campus community; and, WHEREAS The Self-Study Steering Team solicited and made edits to the document based on seven accreditation updates to our campus communities and 15 focus groups with 115 members of the campus community; and, WHEREAS The Self-Study Steering Team, at the request of the campus governance groups, provided monthly accreditation updates to the Faculty Senate and Quad Cities Faculty Council; and three process updates each to the Civil Service Employees Council, Council of Administrative Personnel, and Student Government Associations—Macomb and Quad Cities; and, WHEREAS The Western Illinois University Board of Trustees reviewed the Self-Study at its summer 2008 and 2009 retreats, Board meetings, and Accreditation Updates; and, WHEREAS The Self-Study reflects a meaningful analysis of strengths, challenges, and opportunities in each of the five evaluation criteria, federal compliance, and the three special emphases; and plans outlined in the Self-Study position the University to successfully address Higher Values in Higher Education goals and priorities; and, WHEREAS All campus governance groups on both Western campuses endorsed the Self-Study; and, WHEREAS the Vice President for Quad Cities, Planning and Technology and the Associate Provost for Undergraduate and Graduate Studies will be responsible for the continued preparation of and follow up from the on-site review team visit on February 14-16, 2011: THEREFORE be it resolved that the Board of Trustees approves submission of the University’s Self-Study to the Commission; and be it further resolved that the Board highly commends all involved in the self- study process for producing a high-quality document showing how we collectively advance academic excellence, educational opportunity, personal growth, and social responsibility. Western Illinois University Reaccreditation Report Reaccreditation Team Members Steering Committee Members Joe Rives, Vice President for the Quad Cities, Planning & Technology, NCA Co-Chair Judi Dallinger, Associate Provost, NCA Co-Chair Marica Carter, Associate Professor, Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration, NCA Co-Chair Chris Sutton, Professor, Geography, NCA Co-Chair Steve Nelson, Chairperson, Western Illinois University Board of Trustees Criterion 1, Co-Chair Kristi Mindrup, Assistant Vice President, Western Illinois University–Quad Cities, Criterion 2 Co-Chair Bill Brewer, Assistant Director, Physical Plant, Criterion 2 Co-Chair Lori Baker Sperry, Associate Professor, Women’s Studies, Criterion 3 Co-Chair Jessica Butcher, Assistant to the Vice President for Student Services, Criterion 3 Co-Chair Aimee Shouse, Chairperson, Women’s Studies, Criterion 4 Co-Chair Beth Seaton, Director, Sponsored Projects, Criterion 4 Co-Chair Chris Merrett, Director, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, Criterion 5 Co-Chair Roger Runquist, Director, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Research, Special Emphasis on Distance Learning Co-Chair Phyllis Self, Dean, University Libraries, Special Emphasis on Distance Learning Co-Chair Katrina Daytner, Associate Professor, Educational and Interdisciplinary Studies Rhonda Kline, Director, Institutional Research and Planning, Special Emphasis on Measuring and Demonstrating Our Values Co-Chair and Federal Compliance Co-Chair Lorette Oden, Professor, Health Sciences Bonnie Smith Skripps, Dean, College of Education and Human Services* Chris Brown, Administrative Aide, Western Illinois University–Quad Cities Accreditation Support Team Members Chris Brown, Administrative Aide, Western Illinois University–Quad Cities Jessica Butcher, Assistant to the Vice President for Student Services JoHyun Kim, Associate Director, Institutional Research and Planning Paul Sweet, Instructional Technology Systems Manager, Center for the Application of Information Technologies Bill Thompson, Associate Professor, University Libraries Martha Youngmeyer, Office Support Specialist, Institutional Research and Planning Introductory Chapter Members Al Goldfarb, President Jack Thomas, Provost and Academic Vice President Dan Hendricks, Vice President for Advancement and Public Services* W. Garry Johnson, Vice President for Student Services Jackie Thompson, Vice President for Administrative Services Joe Rives, Vice President for the Quad Cities, Planning & Technology Kerry LeMaster, Administrative Assistant Western Illinois University Reaccreditation Report Criterion 1 Members Joe Rives, Vice President for the Quad Cities, Planning & Technology, Co-Chair Steve Nelson, Western Illinois University Board of Trustees Chairperson, Co-Chair Suzanne Bailey, Quad Cities Faculty Council Chair Ellyn Bartges, Assistant Equal Opportunity Officer, Office of Equal Opportunity & Access Ann Comerford, Director, Student Activities and Coordinator of Development Dennis M. DeVolder, Faculty Senate Chair Robert Dulski, Student Government Association–Macomb, Chair Cathy Early, Western Illinois University Foundation Board Chair Lindsey Garrison, Student Government Association–Quad Cities, Chair Pam Hoffman, President, Alumni Council Jude Kiah, Director, Go West Transit Ed Lavin, Civil Service Employees Council Chair Schuyler Meixner, Council of Administrative Personnel Chair Tera Monroe, Associate Director, Residential Life and Facilities Rajeev Sawhney, Provost’s Excellence in Internationalizing the Campus Recipient and Professor, Management Renee Simpson, Assistant to the Director, Human Resources Bill Thompson, Associate Professor, University Libraries Ron Williams, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Kerry Yadgar, President’s Office Martha Youngmeyer, Office Support Specialist, Institutional Research and Planning Criterion 2 Members Kristi Mindrup, Assistant Vice President, Western Illinois University–Quad Cities, Co-Chair Bill Brewer, Assistant Director, Physical Plant, Co-Chair Matt Bierman, Director, Residential Facilities Richard Chamberlain, Executive Director, University Technology,