The Steering Committee and the Self-Study teams were charged with preparing for UWM’s reaccreditation.
They operated under the guiding principle that their work would be of long-term use to the University, not only in meeting the requirements for accreditation, but also in assessing progress toward goals and mapping a future direction for the institution.
The Self-Study process has prompted in-depth discussions about development of meaningful measures to assess the University’s activities, and it has highlighted ways in which we can benefit from additional data or more consistent data collection to guide decision making.
The portrait that results from this institutional self-reflection will also serve as a resource for UWM’s new Chancellor, Carlos Santiago. Although he started his tenure at UWM relatively late in the Self-Study process (July 2004), the Steering Committee has actively sought his input on the Self-Study draft and its recommendations, with the express goal that the Self-Study reflect UWM’s past and address its future.
The Self-Study process was structured to ensure broad participation. Five teams were created, one for each of the five criteria. The teams were led by faculty members whose names were forwarded to the Provost through the governance process. The 100 team members were drawn from across campus and included representatives from every school, college and administrative division, faculty members, students, and classified and academic staff.
The Self-Study teams were charged with collecting data that address the NCA’s Criteria for Accreditation; aligning the Self-Study with UWM’s strategic aims; communicating progress toward reaccreditation back to the campus community; preparing the institutional Self-Study; and planning for the site visit in 2005. The main steps in the campus process are summarized as follows:
