13 - Union County College

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PREPARING FOR PEER REVIEW ACCREDITATION UPDATE! MIDDLE STATES TEAM TO VISIT APRIL 29 – MAY 2 Representatives of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) will be coming to Union County College during the four-day period from April 29 through May 2, 2007. Since 1957, the College has been accredited by The Middle States Commission on Higher Education. MSCHE was established in 1919 and is one of six United States regional accrediting agencies for colleges and universities. It is recognized by the Council on Postsecondary Education of the United States Department of Education Every ten years the Commission returns to UCC to evaluate the College’s functions and appraise its educational effectiveness. For almost 18 months, in anticipation of the Middle States 2007 visit, the entire campus has been engaged in a Self-Study of UCC as measured against the Commission’s standards set forth in its “Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education.” In March 2007, the completed Self-Study was provided to MSCHE and to the members of a prestigious Accreditation Team (“Team”) selected by them. After reviewing the written study, this Team will visit our campuses to make personal observations of the quality and characteristics of the educational services provided at Union County College. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the MSCHE visit… What is Accreditation? Accreditation is a process by which a college or university’s operations are examined by a third-party accrediting agency to determine if applicable standards are met. As defined by MSCHE, “Accreditation is the means of self-regulation and peer review adopted by the educational community… Middles States’ accreditation is an expression of confidence in an institution’s mission and goals, its performance, and its resources” 1 Why is it important to me? In the United States, students attending unaccredited colleges are not eligible for financial aid. Furthermore, degrees from unaccredited colleges or universities may not be acceptable for civil service or other employment. In New Jersey, no one may lawfully append to their name an academic degree designation (e.g. A.A., A.S., B.A., B.S. Ph.D.) unless that degree was earned from an “in-State institution licensed by the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education or an out-of-State institution licensed by the appropriate state agency and regionally accredited or seeking accreditation by the appropriate accrediting body.” More importantly, college credits and degrees earned at schools which do not have accreditation may not be accepted for transfer to other institutions of higher education or by agencies which grant professional or career licenses. Why is Middle States coming to UCC now? UCC’s accreditation was last reaffirmed in 1997. At that time, the College received a virtually unqualified rating of “excellent” when measured against the MSCHE standards. The Team’s 2007 visit is part of the regular process of reaccreditation that occurs once every ten years. The extensive work and effort that went into the Self-Study that was required to be submitted as a preliminary step to the Team visit positions the College well for another successful MSCHE review. Who was involved in developing the Self Study? Since the fall of 2005 over 270 faculty, staff, and students have served on committees and task forces to assess the College’s functioning and performance in relation to the MSCHE’s “Characteristics of Excellence.” This effort was coordinated and overseen by a 17-member Steering Committee chaired by Dr. Wallace Smith, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor Bohdan Lukaschewsky, Chair of the Faculty. Can I read the Self-Study? Yes. It is available online. Using your Internet browser, go to www.ucc.edu/go/selfstudy and you will find a link to the document at the bottom of the “Accreditation” page. When will the Middle States Accreditation Team visit UCC? The eleven members of the Accreditation team will arrive at UCC on the evening of Sunday, April 29, 2007 and depart on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 2, 2007. 1 Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education, 2006, Middle States Commission on Higher Education, p. iv INTROSPECTION AND UNDERSTANDING ACCREDITATION IS A PROCESS BY WHICH A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY’S OPERATIONS ARE EXAMINED BY A THIRD-PARTY ACCREDITING AGENCY TO DETERMINE IF APPLICABLE STANDARDS ARE MET. Since 1957, the College has been accredited by MSCHE, which was established in 1919 and is one of six United States regional accrediting agencies for colleges and universities. It is recognized by the Council on Postsecondary Education of the United States Department of Education. According to the MSCHE “Accreditation is a process of peer review that the educational community has adopted for its self-regulation since early in the 20th century. It is a voluntary process intended to strengthen and sustain the quality and integrity of higher education, making it worthy of public confidence. Institutions choose to apply for accredited status, and once accredited, they agree to abide by the standards of their accrediting organization and to regulate themselves by taking responsibility for their own improvement.” In the United States, students attending unaccredited colleges are not eligible for financial aid. Furthermore, degrees from unaccredited colleges or universities may not be acceptable for civil service or other employment. Furthermore, In New Jersey, no one UNION COUNTY COLLEGE CRANFORD • ELIZABETH • PLAINFIELD • SCOTCH PLAINS Self-Study Report 2006-2007 COMPLETED IN PREPARATION FOR REAFFIRMATION OF ACCREDITATION BY THE MIDDLE STATES COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION may lawfully append to their name an academic degree designation (e.g. A.A., A.S., B.A., B.S. Ph.D.) unless that degree was earned from an “in-State institution licensed by the New Jersey continued on other side This “Accreditation Update” informed the entire college community on the purpose and procedures for the MSCHE team visit. The completed study document was issued after 18 months of intensive self-evaluation. Commission on Higher Education or an out-of-State institution licensed by the appropriate state agency and regionally accredited or seeking accreditation by the appropriate accrediting body.” More importantly, college credits and degrees earned at schools which do not have accreditation may not be accepted for transfer to other institutions of higher education or by agencies which grant professional or career licenses. Every ten years the MSCHE returns to UCC to evaluate the College’s functions and appraise its educational effectiveness and worthiness for accreditation. To prepare for the accreditation process, The College elected to conduct a systematic and comprehensive selfstudy that covered all aspects of the institution. For almost 18 months, in anticipation of the Middle States 2007 visit, the entire campus engaged in this Self-Study of UCC as measured against the Commission’s standards set forth in its “Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education.” In March 2007, the completed Self-Study was provided to MSCHE and to the members of a prestigious 4
Accreditation Team selected by them. After reviewing the written study, this Team visited UCC campuses to make personal observations of the quality and characteristics of the educational services provided at Union County College. An Accreditation Team from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) visited Union County College during the four-day period from April 29 through May 2, 2007. Characteristics of Excellence addressed by the MSCHE process included: Along with the printed document the College provided each Team member with this interactive CD which allowed them immediate online access to all supporting documentation cited in the study. • Mission, Goals and Objectives • Planning, Resource allocation and Institutional Renewal • Institutional Resources • Leadership, Governance and Administration • Institutional Assessment • Student Admissions and Student Support Services • Faculty • Educational Offerings • General Education • Related Educational Activities At the conclusion of the accreditation process, Dr. Wallace Smith, Vice President for Academic Affairs (l), and Faculty Chair Professor Bohdan Lukachewsky (r) proudly proclaim the outcome. 5
Page 1 and 2: 2006-2007 ANNUAL REPORT A Leader Am
Page 3: IT WAS FIFTY YEARS AGO THAT UNION J
Page 7 and 8: “your nursing program demonstrate
Page 9 and 10: THIS YEAR’S RECORD ENROLLMENTS NO
Page 11 and 12: LEADERSHIP IN ART AND CULTURE Each
Page 13 and 14: UCC Talent In addition to formalize
Page 15 and 16: LEADERSHIP IN LIFELONG LEARNING Fre
Page 17 and 18: PRIOR TO THIS YEAR, IT WAS IN 1997
Page 19 and 20: Dr. Brown briefs visitors on plans
Page 21 and 22: STATEMENT of UNION COUNTY COLLEGE E
Page 23 and 24: Union County College Board of Trust

13 - Union County College

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