UB Seeks Input from Campus Community on Reaccreditation Self-Study

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo has finished a draft of its self-study report for reaccreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and is seeking input from the campus community.

The report can be viewed on UB's Middle States Web site at http://wings.buffalo.edu/provost/middlestates. Comments, either on a specific portion of the report or on the entire draft, may be directed to Beth Del Genio, assistant vice provost for academic affairs and staff coordinator for the accreditation process, at bethdel@buffalo.edu.

The comments will be used "to inform the final version of the report, which will be submitted to Middle States this summer," Del Genio says.

"We will be relying on the campus community to offer insightful and constructive comments that will help us to create a report that is accurate, thorough and indicative of UB's progression as we seek to meet our mission as a public research university," she says.

The self-study draft report is the result of two years of investigating, analyzing and assessing multiple aspects of the university by the Steering Committee and numerous subcommittees composed of UB faculty, staff and students.

The self-study draft, Del Genio says, is a compilation of these findings, which describe and assess UB's "institutional context" and "educational effectiveness." More specifically, the report addresses the university's institutional resources, institutional planning process, administrative and leadership effectiveness, admissions process, student support services, educational programming and assessment of student learning.

The self-study process has provided the university with a sustained opportunity "to reflect on our institutional progress" since the university's last Middle States self-study effort in 1993, "albeit with a focused lens on the last two or three years," Del Genio says.

"With the University at Buffalo's level of educational and research comprehensiveness, it is no small feat assessing and evaluating the range of university activities and initiatives. The UB faculty are to be credited with producing highly comprehensive and thorough subcommittee reports, which have informed the self-study draft report."

Del Genio points out that as one would expect, the self-study draft found many strengths at the university, as well as areas that would benefit from improvement.

"Overall, UB is advancing well towards meeting its tripartite mission of teaching, research and public service," she says.

Kerry Grant, vice provost for academic affairs, dean of the graduate school and a member of the Leadership Team that is leading the accreditation effort at UB, notes that the self-study draft details "amazing institutional progress" since the 1993 self-study report.

"Advances in educational and information technology, establishment of research centers and institutes, building of apartment-style residential halls, innovations in student support service delivery, increases in undergraduate student selectivity profiles, nationally lauded programs in the humanities and social sciences, substantial gains in research funding and philanthropic giving, and entrance into the NCAA Division I Mid-American Conference, just to name a few accomplishments, demonstrate UB's continued pursuit to achieve the ideals of our mission," Grant says. "Of course, challenges remain. What is notable, however, is that faculty and administrators have acknowledged these challenges and are working to continue UB's remarkable successes in resolving our most pressing issues and concern.

"The institution proves to be dynamic, rather than static. The issues identified as significant concerns in the self-study process will have a role in setting the agenda for the future," he says.

Del Genio says that after UB submits its final self-study report to Middle States this summer, a team of Middle States staff and external evaluators, composed of representatives of UB's peer institutions, will come to campus in the fall. During the visit, evaluators will meet with UB administrators, faculty members and student representatives.

"They will tour the campus, looking at our classroom, research and student support-services facilities," she says. "They also will wish to speak with students, staff and faculty who are on campus, asking them their impressions of UB and the Middle States process."

A decision on reaccreditation will be made after the site visit.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is the unit of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools that accredits degree-granting colleges and universities in the middle states region. Accreditation is crucial, UB administrators say, because it provides an affirmation that institutions are meeting basic academic standards.