Overview

Michigan State University is scheduled for the decennial re-accreditation review by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association in 2005-2006.   Since the last review in 1996, the Higher Learning Commission has both revised the criteria for re-accreditation and provided several addition options for the review process.

Provost Simon requested an option which encourages a focus on a "Customized Review Process". The main contours of which were established by the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) institutions to better serve the needs of well-established universities. Unlike the traditional retrospective review, the customized self-study holds promise for adding value by allowing the University to project future directions.

Provost Simon identified internationalization across the University mission as the subject for the customized review.   While the new process continues to require an evidence-based report demonstrating compliance with the five basic criteria of the Higher Learning Commission, the customized self-study and special focus will provide an opportunity for consultative visits by experts in the focal area in addition to the extensive internal review.

Re-accreditation will turn on the compliance section of the report, with the specialized internationalization self-study proving a basis for institutional decisions and potentially new directions. By building on our leadership in the international sphere, it is expected that the internationalization self-study will provide an agenda that will serve us well in the next ten to twenty years.

All official materials will need to be completed by November 2005.   The site visit by the Accreditation Team will occur in the Spring semester, 2006.  

• MSU Committee Members
• HLC Consultant / Evaluator Team
• HLC Consultant / Evaluator Agenda
  Sunday-Monday
  Tuesday- Wednesday
• CIC Accreditation Principles   (pdf)