Number 1

September 2004

Monmouth University will come up for its Middle States Reaffirmation of Accreditation review in 2005-2006. In preparation for the visit by Middle States, the University formed a Middle States Self-Study Steering Committee, co-chaired by Drs. Saliba Sarsar and Julius Adekunle, in January 2004 for the completion of its institutional self-study in 2004-2005. Joan Monahan, Assistant to the Associate Vice President for Academic Program Initiatives, enthusiastically accepted the additional administrative responsibilities associated with this important endeavor.

 In March 2004, 14 subcommittees were created. They include: Mission, Goals, and Objectives; Planning, Resource Allocation, and Institutional Renewal; Institutional Resources; Leadership and Governance; Administration; Integrity; Institutional Assessment; Student Admissions; Student Support Services; Faculty; Educational Offerings; General Education; Related Educational Activities; and Assessment of Student Learning. These subcommittees will investigate how well Monmouth University is achieving its goals and objectives as related to the Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education. The 220-person membership of both the Steering Committee and the 14 subcommittees represents a broad spectrum of the campus. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) appointed Dr. George Santiago as Liaison to Monmouth University.

 The Steering Committee worked diligently during March, April, and May 2004 to write the Self-Study Design, which was submitted to MSCHE on June 7, 2004. It is an outline of how the self-study will be accomplished, in terms of rationale, scope, expected outcomes, charge questions, participants, and timetable for the self-study process. The Self-Study Design was reviewed and accepted by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Dr. Santiago’s letter of June 14, 2004, to University President Paul G. Gaffney II stated: “The Steering Committee has done an excellent job responding to Designs for Excellence and to my comments. The Steering Committee ... is to be commended for its fine work.”

UPDATES:

• The Middle States office is located in Wilson Hall, room 205. It houses a conference room and reference materials needed for the reaffirmation of accreditation.
• A Middle States Reaffirmation of Accreditation Web site was created in Summer 2004..
• On August 1, 2004, MSCHE appointed Dr. Luis G. Pedraja to replace Dr. Santiago as liaison to Monmouth University