Public comment invited on the reaccreditation of UAA

The University of Alaska Anchorage is in the process of renewing our institutional accreditation with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). This renewal is done through reaffirmation of accreditation on a regular cycle. This accreditation includes UAA and our community campuses in Kenai, Kodiak and Mat-Su.

UAA has volunteered, along with three other institutions in the region, to serve as a pilot institution in the development of a new accreditation process. This new process focuses on UAA's mission fulfillment, with an emphasis on how all units contribute together to the core themes of our mission, rather than looking at units as separate entities. The new process will still result in a self study, developed through shorter focused "chapters" submitted in March and September 2009, and March and September 2010.

An evaluation team visited UAA in Fall 2009 to assess how UAA applies its resources and capacities toward mission fulfillment, as outlined in the self review report submitted in September 2009. While on campus, the team met with campus leadership, held open forums for faculty, staff, students and community advisors, and visited the Kenai Peninsula College campus. Another visit is planned at the culmination of this pilot process from Oct. 4-6, 2010.

To help evaluate the extent to which we are achieving our mission, NWCCU requires institutions to select several core themes, representing different facets of the mission. The Chancellor's Cabinet, in consultation with the Accreditation Steering Committee, aligned the core themes with the five UAA 2017 Strategic Plan priorities:

• Teaching and Learning
• Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity
• Student Success
• UAA Community
• Public Square

For more information and to learn how you can comment visit here.