HLC Accreditation: 2017 Comprehensive Review

Accreditation Steering Committee

Lourra Barthuly – Vice President for Student Services
Gerry Giraud (Chair) – Vice President for Academic Affairs
Elaine DeBuhr – Associate Professor of Art; Visual and Performing Arts Division Chairperson
Rachel Hanan – Associate Professor of English
Stefani Hicswa – President
Mark Kitchen – Vice President for College Relations
Aura Newlin – Instructor of Sociology and Anthropology
Susan Richards – Library Director
Lisa Smith – Institutional Researcher
Greg Thomas – Dean of Student Learning and Academic Support
Lisa Watson – Vice President for Administrative Services and Finance
Brett Williams – Facilities Assistant (Utility Worker)


Preparation Timeline

November 14, 2013 Vice President Giraud convenes the Accreditation Steering Committee; writing assignments are made for sections of the assurance argument
April 3, 2014 Steering Committee meets
April 10 through 14, 2014 NWC personnel attend HLC annual conference sessions to assist with accreditation process
May 2, 2014 Steering Committee meets
September 2014 through May 2015 Steering Committee meets monthly, with a few cancellations due to schedules
March 28 through 31, 2015 NWC personnel attend HLC annual conference sessions to assist with accreditation process
July 7, 2015 Debriefing session with HLC annual conference attendees and President Hicswa
September 2015 through May 2016 Steering Committee meets monthly, with a few cancellations due to schedules
November 3, 2015 Steering Committee attends a webinar on the Standard Pathway
April 15 through 19, 2016 NWC personnel attend HLC annual conference sessions to assist with accreditation process
June 20 through 23, 2016 Steering Committee writing sessions (10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day)
July 13, 2016 Steering Committee sub-group meets to discuss HLC Federal Compliance Report Plan
July 19, 2016 Steering Committee writing session (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
August 17 & 18, 2016 Accreditation Prep Campus Workshop, Introduction to Accreditation
September 2, 2016 Steering Committee writing session (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.)
September 16, 2016 Accreditation Prep Campus Workshop, Introduction to Accreditation
September 30, 2016 Steering Committee writing session (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.)
October 10 & 12, 2016 Accreditation Prep Campus Workshop, Criterion 1
October 14, 2016 Steering Committee writing session (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.)
October 28, 2016 Steering Committee writing session (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.)
November 18 & 22, 2016 Accreditation Prep Campus Workshop, Criterion 3
December 2, 2016 Steering Committee writing session (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.)
December 15, 2016 Steering Committee writing session (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
January 4 & 13, 2017 Accreditation Prep Campus Workshop, Criterion 5
January 9, 2017 Criteria 1 and 2 drafts released on website for campus comment/questions
January 13, 2017 Principals met to discuss a process for drafting the Federal Compliance Report
January 20, 2017 Steering Committee writing session (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.)
February 17 & 23, 2017 Accreditation Prep Campus Workshops, Criterion 2
March 17, 2017 Steering Committee writing session (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.)
March 24 & 30, 2017 Accreditation Prep Campus Workshops, Criterion 4
March 31, 2017 Steering Committee writing session (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.)
April 18, 2017 Some sections of Criteria 3, 4 and 5 drafts released on website for campus comment/questions
April 28, 2017 Steering Committee writing session (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.)
May 12, 2017 Steering Committee writing session (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.)
May 26, 2017 Steering Committee writing session (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.)
June 9, 2017 Steering Committee writing session (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.)
June 15, 2017 Deadline for all authors' narratives to be finalized