Committees created to greet accreditation team in spring
After completing a self-study process, committees are preparing for a visit from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools re-accreditation team.
By Sarah McNamara
Staff Reporter

Four committees have been appointed to organize accommodations for a group from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The visiting team of 20 college administrators and faculty members will inspect the campus from Feb. 23 to 27, 2003, and decide whether to renew the university’s accreditation.

Plans call for a Frog WART — or Welcome And Reception Team — and transportation, technology help and administrative committees to meet the anticipated needs of the visiting team, said Bonnie Melhart, director of the office of self-study.

Melhart was appointed director after English professor Alan Shepard accepted a job as special program director for a literature and performing arts department at a Canadian university. Though much of the heavy lifting was during Shepard’s tenure — he helped oversee most of the creation of an 800 page self-study document to be released this semester — Melhart says she has been busy settling into the job since the start of the semester.

“At first I was overwhelmed,” Melhart said. “There was a lot to comprehend. But I’ve received lots of support on campus.”

Universities under SACS regulation must be accredited every 10 years to receive federal funding, which includes financial aid and student loans.

“It’s very important that people understand why they’re here,” Melhart said. “They can interview anyone on campus, students and staff of all levels.”

Melhart said the self-study program — the method of preparation for re-accreditation — consists of different committees responsible for reviewing and documenting every facet of the institution in order to meet more than 400 criteria determined by SACS.

Five committees, under one steering committee, were formed in March 2001 to audit the SACS criteria regarding principles and philosophy of accreditation, institutional purpose and effectiveness, administrative processes, educational programs, and support services.

The faculty and staff devoted to this project have worked very hard to properly document how the university meets the criteria and what it is lacking, Melhart said. They find deficiencies in their respective areas and make recommendations concerning their correction, she said.

Denise Bennett, a member of the steering committee, said she is responsible for collecting and cataloging all the data to support the 800-page self-study document to be published this semester.

“This whole process is a positive thing,” Bennett said. “It keeps every university or college on the right track to make sure you’re actually getting the education you should be.”

Melhart said the self-study is currently in the fine-tuning stages and the focus is now on impressing the visiting committee. She said TCU is prepared and that she is confident with the current status of the self-study.

Ten years ago, Melhart said committees made almost 200 recommendations concerning areas needing attention or improvement. This year only about 25 recommendations were submitted, she said.

“We’re a much better institution than we were before,” Melhart said. “TCU has definitely improved.”

A decision to accreditate TCU or not will be made December 2003 in San Antonio.