The Advance

Issue date: 2/16/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Michael Tate Students were working hard this past week in the library.

Imagine going through four years of hard classes with an "A" average, only to learn that your university can't award your Bachelors degree. Although this is only a fictional situation, it is a distant thought in the back Professors Burchill and Hoekstra's mind. The two professors are mainly in charge of Kansas Wesleyan Re-accreditation process that will take place this spring.

Every ten years, Kansas Wesleyan must go through a critique by the North Central Association of the Higher Learning Committee to become recertified for its bachelors programs. Professor Burchill and Hoekstra, along with their committee, have been working for nearly two years to prepare for Kansas Wesleyan's Self-Study Report. The Self- Study Report is an overview of Kansas Wesleyan's strength's and weaknesses. The report also contains the goals of the University and the guidelines for which the faculty is supposed to work and behave. Professor Burchill states, "The report actually helps us stay on track for the future." During the process a team of Professors from different Universities will be walking around, interviewing students and faculty to make sure that Kansas Wesleyan is living up to its promises and standards. Kansas Wesleyan must at least meet the minimum standard to get re-accredited. Professor Hoekstra was quoted as saying "I believe that the university will do great during the process." Professor Burchill, although very confident, still believes that there are some areas where Kansas Wesleyan will do excellent, but some areas that will still need improvement. There is no doubt in any of the Professors mind's that the University will be re-accredited.

The actual Accreditation Process will begin on March 12th and end two days later. The Self-Study Report is available online on the Kansas Wesleyan Homepage. The link is beneath the red dialogue box. You may leave feedback, whether positive or negative. The Professors both agree that feedback can only help Kansas Wesleyan during this process.

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