Holy Cross to Welcome Accreditation Review Team March 28-31

WORCESTER, Mass. – As part of an accreditation process that takes place every 10 years, a team representing the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE) of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) will visit the College of the Holy Cross on March 28-31, 2010.

The accreditation process provides an assurance of quality to the public and also aids colleges and universities in their own planning.  In addition, only accredited schools are eligible for certain federal grants, including Pell grants for students.

CIHE is one of eight accrediting commissions in the United States that provide institutional accreditation on a regional basis. Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, it accredits approximately 200 institutions in New England.

Holy Cross has been continuously accredited by the Commission and was last reviewed in 2000.  Accreditation by the New England Association encompasses all facets of the College.

For the past year and a half, Holy Cross has been engaged in a process of self-study, addressing the Commission’s Standards for Accreditation. The evaluation team, led by Dr. Elaine Tuttle Hansen, president of Bates College, will visit campus to gather evidence that the self-study is thorough and accurate. During its visit, the review team will reference each of the standards as covered in Holy Cross’ self-study document. The sections of the report serve as an analysis of institutional effectiveness and quality in the identified areas, with the aim of identifying strengths, areas for improvement, and suggested areas of emphasis in future planning.

The team will recommend to the Commission a continuing status for Holy Cross, and, following a review process, the Commission itself will take the final action. Both the College’s own self-study and the report of the visiting team will form the basis for the final NEASC decision on renewal of accreditation

Accompanying Hansen as members of the review team will be:  Vincent Boisselle, library director, Hobart and William Smith Colleges; Alison Byerly, provost and  executive vice president, Middlebury College; James C. Ferguson, director of institutional research and assessment, Carleton College; Marysa Navarro-Aranguren, professor of history, Dartmouth College; Helen Ouellette, administrative dean, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University; Mark C. Reed, vice president for administrative services and student affairs, Fairfield University; and Derk Andrew Wierda, professor of chemistry, St. Anselm College.

As part of the accreditation process, members of the public are invited to submit comments on substantive matters related to the quality of the institution to:

Public Comment on the College of the Holy Cross, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, 209 Burlington Rd., Bedford, MA 01730-1433.  Comments can also be submitted by e-mail to cihe@neasc.org

The Commission notes that comments will not be treated as confidential. Written, signed comments must be received by March 31, 2010, and should include the name, address, and telephone number of the person providing the comments.

For more information on the accreditation process at Holy Cross, visit the College’s accreditation Web site (www.holycross.edu/president/accreditation).